How to Lie Convincingly
by impersonatingadeity
Summary: HSLO AUish. "If you pretend at something for long enough, it might just become real." Chapter 14 added 6/24.
1. The beginning

Disclaimer: I own nothing and gain nothing from this story.

**How to Lie Convincingly  
**

"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." – Oscar Wilde

* * *

At 0500 hours Leia Organa woke with a start, grabbing frantically at the threads of her dream that were already slipping away. Yes, Alderaan had been in her dreams again tonight; of that she was certain. The dream had been consistent ever since the destruction of her home world; so much so that she need not try and remember everything as she was doing now, for the memory was real enough that she could piece everything together herself. But tonight-- tonight there was something unmistakably different.

There was an unexpected calm, as if everything that had hinged on that one defining moment suddenly fell into place. The dreams – and the memory – were certainly horrific; but if so, where were these good feelings coming from?

Before the Death Star, Leia Organa had her life laid right out before her feet. Her life was countless routine after countless routine, but that was how it was supposed to be. And she accepted it.

Now things were different. The carpet had been yanked out from underneath her. She had gone from proper princess to rebel and renegade, and her dreams would not let her forget it. It was a difficult life, but Leia was able to cope and adjust. After all, if she let the façade down, she would certainly look weak. That was not what the rebellion needed. As a prominent figurehead, she was integral in inciting troop morale. They needed to look to her to find strength. Nothing would stop her from giving it to them, emotional baggage or not.

She abruptly halted her train of thought and scoffed at her own ridiculousness. After growing up in a world of rules and logic and rationality, she should not be analyzing something as silly as a dream.

Leia sank back down onto the pillows and let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding. Rubbing her eyes a little too roughly, she tried unsuccessfully to go back to sleep.

Even though she wanted it to, this dream did not leave her mind.

* * *

At 0700 her comm. unit beeped.

"Organa."

"Hiya, Princess."

"Good afternoon."

Pause.

"Captain, was there an intended purpose in placing this call?"

"Anything to hear your voice, princess."

"Perhaps you will refrain from using this frequency in the future. I don't know how _you _bypassed the encryption but I assure you--"

"Oh, how she wounds me! Scoundrel, remember? A simply encryption like that isn't going to stop anyone. Or maybe I'm just smarter than I seem."

"Could've fooled me."

"Oh, your worship, please. You're killing me with the kindness. Really, I can take no more."

"I'm in rare form."

"Yes, I agree."

Pause.

"Well, look, I gotta go finish repairs. Remember, we take off at 0600 tomorrow morning."

"I'll be there."

"And _I'll_ be waiting."

She could almost see the wink.

* * *

Leia was anything but eager about this upcoming mission with Han Solo.

Her mission was to infiltrate the weapons reserves on the Empire-controlled planet Celeene. But having the face of Leia Organa and traveling to a planet teeming with Imperial forces was not conducive to success. Still, upon hearing about the mission, she readily accepted. After all, she really had nothing to lose.

The High Command knew of Han's personal interest in her safety, so they recommended that he not only pilot the mission, but pose as her husband for the duration of the trip. He would need an excuse to be with her everywhere. Assuming that identity would allow him to be close to her at all times, day and night.

At 0600 in the morning, she would become Mina Nobi, and Han Finn Nobi. Or Mrs. Finn Nobi. Or Mrs. Han Solo. Oh, great.

Celeene was located in a very remote sector and little was known about it. Leia, after her briefing, had done her best to read up on all she could about the small planet. From what she could gather, they had extremely strict gender roles, so sending her (a woman) as the diplomat was out of the ordinary. In fact, it was a miracle that they agreed to send a woman at all. Perhaps having a man with her on the mission couldn't _hurt_.

Han Solo. That was one man she had yet to figure out. Leia was uncannily skilled at reading people, but his image, to her, was blurred. He was so different from every person, politician or not, she had ever met. Sure, he was _extremely _rough around the edges, but she had a bet with herself that there was something beyond the hardened exterior. Maybe this mission would be a chance for her to delve beyond, to really get to know and understand someone. They would be in close quarters, after all. While growing up on Alderaan, Leia was formally introduced to everyone she met. She stuck with polite conversation. She curtsied here, shook a hand there. She never really got the chance to make her own friends (save Winter, but she was different). But those formalities were no more. Now she had the chance to see whether Han Solo really had another side to him or not.

* * *

0400 hours.

Leia had not slept at all so far. Though she was loath to admit it, she was nervous. What if she failed? Her whole world had been destroyed and it had been all her fault. She could not bear the pain of guilt if she failed the Alliance too. What would become of her? It would be all her fault. Again.

* * *

0605 hours.

"I dunno, pal. She's usually early. I'm gonna go see how she's comin' along."

Chewbacca whuffed his acknowledgement as Han started off to the princess' quarters.

Han was pretty eager about this mission. He longed to be closer to Leia, and this would be his perfect opportunity. He no longer denied it to himself that he cared for her. He knew there was a different person beyond her thick shell.

Han knocked three times. "Hey, your highness! Care to grace me with your royal presence? We're losing our lift slot!"

No answer.

He knocked again. "Princess!"

Nothing.

Han ran a hand down his face. He raised his fist to knock again when the door slid open to reveal Leia along with her luggage. Han took note of her appearance. She looked very tired and disheveled and barely acknowledged him.

"Wow. I had no idea her highness had such wild nights." He commented.

"You'd be surprised, captain."

Silence.

"I apologize for being late. I needed to get a few more things together."

"No problem, sweetheart. Smugglers aren't exactly the poster children for punctuality anyhow."

"Punctuality. That's a big word for you, isn't it, captain?"

"Ha ha. Now is that any way to speak to your husband?"

Pause.

"We aren't there yet, Solo."

* * *

Oh my goodness. This little bunny just wrote itself. I intend for the writing to focus more on personal thoughts rather than use the voice of an omniscient narrator—if I decide to continue this.

As always, thoughts, comments, feedback welcomed! Feel free to poke holes!


	2. The voyage

**How to Lie Convincingly - Chapter 2**

"Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

* * *

"Here." Han held out a small parcel to her. Leia did not reach for it.

"What is this for?"

"Well, _Mrs. Nobi_, if we're gonna be married, we're gonna need these." Han opened the tiny box and produced two rings, a simple gold band for him and a lovely diamond solitaire for her.

Leia said nothing. Han, never one to lack initiative, took her hand gently in his and slid the ring onto her finger. "Looks nice."

"Thank you, captain. It is quite lovely." She held her hand an arms length away from herself and admired the ring's brilliance.

"Look, can we cut this 'captain' crap? We are friends, aren't we?"

Leia nodded. "I suppose. But then you'd have to sacrifice _your _favorite names for me."

"Aw, can't we compromise? 'Your worship' was genius!"

"That's hardly a compromise, _captain_." She returned, emphasizing his title. "Why don't we just save it for special occasions?" Surprising herself, Leia chuckled lightly.

"I like the sound of that." He grinned.

Smiling slightly, Leia got up off the acceleration couch and headed for the crew cabin to unpack her things for their thirty-six hour voyage.

"Hey, wait, aren't you going to put my ring on for me?"

While still moving toward the crew cabin, Leia called back, "I think that's one task you can handle yourself!"

* * *

"Hey, Leia!" Han banged on the crew cabin's door for the second time. "Food's gettin' cold!" Remembering the gossips around base, Han began to worry slightly. The princess never got enough to eat and barely slept. _What the hell does she do to fill up her time, then?_ He wondered. Forgetting his impatience and attempting a different approach, he tapped delicately on the door. "Leia?"

_Aw, hell.  
_

Han overrode the security code and stepped in as his eyes traveled to the bed. No Leia in there.

The 'fresher light then caught his attention. The door was slightly ajar and a small booted foot prevented the door from closing. In two steps he was at the door.

"Leia!" Han panicked. Quickly, he pushed the door open fully to reveal a fully-dressed princess soundly asleep on a pile of towels. Seizing the opportunity, he studied her face as he knelt down in front of her. _Gods, she looks tired_, he thought, taking in the pallor of her skin and the dark bags under her eyes. _I'd bet she didn't sleep at all last night. No wonder she almost missed liftoff_.

Slowly, Han picked up one of her hands and held it between both of his own. "Oh, princess. What am I gonna do with you?" He began to pull her towards him to take her to a more comfortable bed, but she stirred and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Mmm?"

"Shh. Its okay. I'm going to take you to the bed, okay?"

"No, no, I'm all right. I'm up now." Leia pulled her hand from his and stretched out, resting her weight on her elbows. She bent her knees and turned over, trying to get to her feet. Once she reached a kneeling position, she rubbed her left eye vigorously.

"Leia, you're obviously really tired. Go and get some rest. Dinner can wait."

"No, I need to get up and prepare for the mission."

"Leia, I gotta be honest. You look terrible."

She puffed out a breath. "Thanks."

"That's not what I meant. This is the first time I've seen you like… _this_. Go. Sleep."

"No!" She finally got to her feet and tried to push past him, but Han quickly stood up and blocked her exit. "Han! Let me out! I'm fine!"

"You are _not _fine!" He shouted. "I'm not letting you go anywhere! I found you lying on the 'fresher floor with the light on—what am I supposed to think!? Am I just gonna let you get up and tire yourself out some more?"

"You can't tell me what to do!" She finally squeezed around him, but he grabbed her arm, preventing her escape. "Han! Let me go. Let me _go._" She struggled some more but he did not release her.

"Why do you even care?" She shouted. After trying to free herself more, she flung herself on to the floor.

At her last question, Han let go of her arm, stunned. "Fine, your worship. Go ahead and work yourself to death. Certainly'd be a lot quieter around here."

She slipped away quietly. Han waited a few moments before leaving and locking himself in the captain's cabin.

* * *

Han glanced over at the chronometer on the nightstand. _Yeah. Way past dinner._

He wasn't hungry anyway.

* * *

At 2000 hours, Han heard a light knock on his door. A tentative "Han?" reached his ears next.

"Come in," He said gruffly, setting down his datapad and sitting up in his chair.

"Han, it's locked."

"Oh." He got up, rolled his neck muscles and prepared himself for the imminent fight. After disabling the lock, he opened the door from the inside to see a suddenly shy Leia Organa. Her body language mimicked that of a shy child and she could not bring herself to meet his eyes. Without asking permission, she walked in the room past him and perched lightly on top of his desk. After taking a deep breath, she looked at him.

"I can't sleep with the door closed."

"What?"

"You know…I can't sleep with the door closed. Or without a little light."

"Leia…"

"Han, I'm so sorry for the way I acted. But you have to understand."

"Understand what?"

"I… That's why you found me like that. And you were right. I was so tired. While I was unpacking, I just felt so comfortable on the floor, so I lied down. Then I put my foot in front of the proximity sensor to keep it from closing."

"Oh."

"Han, please say something."

"Leia, I don't know what to say to you. I just wish you'd take better care of yourself."

"I know. Its…hard."

Han smiled at her.

"Come on," she continued, gaining confidence from seeing him smile. "You said something about food earlier, right?"

"Right."

Han was pretty much at a loss for words, but he took her concession to eat as a peace offering of sorts. Grinning, he followed her into the galley.

* * *

During dinner they really got a chance to get to know one another. While both still held many deep secrets from their pasts, they still opened up about the shallower, safer topics; they tested the waters and each other and tried to build trust.

"Some night, huh?" Han rejoined, setting down his glass after taking a sip.

"Yeah. Its late. Do you need my help with the dishes? Or in the cockpit?"

"Nah, we've still got about twelve hours until we hit atmosphere. Go and sleep…you know, uh, if you want." He wanted to try and be more accommodating to her demanding personality.

"This is one time I'm taking your advice, Solo," she chuckled. Before exiting the galley completely, Leia turned around. "And, Han?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

Leia blushed a little at the endearment, which did not go unnoticed by Han. _So, she doesn't mind 'sweetheart.' I'll file that away for later_.

"Thanks. Thanks for looking out for me."

He merely smiled as she shuffled out.

* * *

Leia lied down in the dimmed overhead lights provided by the bed and was once again plagued by insomnia. She reached over for her wrist chrono to check the time.

0230.

As she pulled her hand back into the bed, the glimmer of the ring caught her eye. She was shocked that she was still wearing it; shocked that she had been wearing it all day. Twisting it around her finger, she watched, mesmerized, as the glimmers bounced off the walls. She imagined she was in another place. She would probably be married off to some prince by now with a much bigger ring.

She didn't care though. She was adjusting to her new life now. The excitement of this mission with Han only augmented her adjustment. _He's a really good friend. _Thinking of Luke, she added, _And I'm lucky to have two friends who care so much for me. _

Still playing with the ring, Leia Organa slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_0230. Damn._

Han Solo couldn't sleep. He was thinking of Leia. It was going to be hard to pretend with her. He really did care for her; he cared for her more than she knew.

This mission was going to make things really difficult. They were really going to have to work together to pull off the mission.

_I've gotta put my personal feelings aside. Just like she would. _

He shifted over to his other side.

'_Sides, she doesn't even think of me that way. Gods, its gonna be hard to play this game with her_.

He looked down at the simple gold band he wore.

_Never thought I'd see myself wearing one of these. Well the times are a-changin,' I guess._

It was true. Han Solo never imagined himself so confined, so tied down. Yet here he was, un-commissioned by the Rebellion yet still helping their precious princess on a mission.

Yet Han had always been drawn to her. He had an innate protectiveness towards her, something he had never felt for anyone before. So, of course he ignored this feeling. He annoyed her, frustrated her to no end because in truth, this emotion was supremely new to him.

Han was still in the dark about what happened to her aboard the Death Star, but he still didn't dare broach the subject. This mission needed to go off without a hitch. For both their sakes. Like Leia, the last thing Han wanted to do was travel back in time. Bringing up a subject like that was a fatal distraction.

_So is this fakey relationship_. _But I'm gonna do my best to hide it._

Han Solo lay still in the dark and soundly slept.

* * *

Whew! Things went a little more quickly than I anticipated, but I couldn't resist. So: Leia thinks of Han as a friend, and Han has put his feelings aside for the sake of the mission. Hopefully there's enough angst to continue to fuel the plot. ;)

Please let me know what you think!


	3. The arrival

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 3**

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." -- Galileo Galilei

* * *

"Leia, we're starting our approach. Strap yourself him."

Leia ignored him. He swiveled his chair to the side to look at her. She was dwarfed by Chewbacca's oversize co-pilot's chair, gazing at the purple, foggy atmosphere of Celeene.

"Leia." It was more statement than question.

She still did not stir.

"Leia! What the hell are you doin'? I know you can hear me!"

Leia turned her head slightly but her eyes were still fixed on the looming planet. "I'm practicing," she said, before finally resting her eyes on him.

"Practicing? Look, we've been over the objective a million times, L—"

"Mina."

"What?"

"My name's Mina now, _Finn_. You've got to remember that. It's only the most fundamental part of this mission." She added sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." The Falcon's proximity sensor blinked and Han's eyebrows shot up. "Sith! Strap yourself in _real _quick now, princess, this ain't gonna be a smooth landing."

A mechanical voice came over the _Falcon's _communication system. "Unidentified YT-1300 freighter, state your business, cargo, and passengers."

"Captain Finn Nobi speaking. Appointment with Lord—"He glanced at Leia, who glared at him for forgetting, and then relented and mouthed the name at him "—Caetzr. One female passenger. Carrying no commercial cargo."

"Transmit clearance code."

"Transmitting clearance code." Han punched in the code the Ceelinites had given him to verify his appointment with Lord Caetzr, Celeene's Executive of Intergalactic Relations.

"Clearance granted. You are assigned to Landing Pad AVB. Standby for escort."

Han turned on the mute button on the communications panel, looking very pleased with himself. "Now was that so hard?" He asked, referring to her almost-withholding the name from him.

Leia pouted. "Yes," she returned, facing the chair away from him.

Han reached over and turned the chair around so she was facing him.

"L—I mean, Mina? Look, this isn't like you to be so nervous. What's up?"

Leia rolled her eyes before answering. "It's just…I'm not used to having a partner on missions. I completed missions – solo missions – (Han smirked) with great success. I'm just worried…"

"That what? I'm gonna screw the whole thing up?"

"No, well, not--"

Han got up.

"Finn. That's very dangerous. You shouldn't un-strap yourself during escorting because of the—"

"Damn it, Leia!" She opened her mouth to object at the use of her real name, but he bowled right through. "Do you really think I don't know that?"

The _Falcon _suddenly ran into turbulence and shook violently, sending Han down to the floor.

"Han!" Leia moved to unbuckle her restraints to help him.

"Leia – Mina, don't move. I don't want you to get hurt too." Sitting down on the floor, he put a hand lightly to his jaw and lifted it to his face, scoffing at the blood that had gathered under his chin.

"Guess I'm not so invincible, huh?"

Leia shook her head and looked down at the floor. After her internment on the Death Star, Leia had trouble dealing with pain. It reminded her of the fragility of everything: how someone – anyone – could die at any point or at any time without warning. _Just like Alderaan_.

Han eased himself off the floor and back into the pilot's chair to prepare to land. Once he set down on the landing pad, he turned towards her in her seat and his hand alighted on her knee. Leia flinched.

"Hey sweetheart, it's not that bad!"

Leia didn't know if he was referring to his injury or her rapidly declining confidence for the mission.

"Okay."

"Come on; let's freshen up, all right? It would be very rude to keep the Ceelinites waiting all day."

"Since when do you care about political etiquette?" She retorted, unbuckling herself and rising from the seat.

"Since I married a diplomat. That's since when."

"Finn, being an engineer hardly binds you to the political sphere." She was referring to Han's false identity that the High Command had created before Han and Leia had departed for Celeene.

Han's extensive knowledge of starfighters and other ships afforded him the disguise of an engineer specializing in hyperdrive mechanics. Leia's own disguise was fairly simple: a diplomat attending Celeene's political conference. The formal reception they would attend later that evening served to officially welcome all delegations. The actual conference, held on the next morning, would address Celeene's isolationist policy and attempt to establish the planet among the other star systems. She and Han were posing as delegates representing Chandrila in the stead of Mon Mothma.

* * *

Leia waited in the adjoining passageway for Han to exit the captain's cabin.

Something was different today. Leia had been unprepared for the surge of caring that had welled up inside her after Han had fallen during the turbulent escort. She knew Han cared for her quite a bit, but her own feelings were a mystery. She no longer denied that she found him attractive, but she was a little apprehensive about becoming closer to him. After all, love inevitably ends with loss, right? _That's the cycle of my life. Love and loss. _Leia didn't think she could take another cycle.

_I'd be endangering the mission. I need to stay focused._

_That's ironic, _said the other voice in her head, _You've got to pretend to be in love, but actually being in love is the one thing that would distract you from the mission. Good going, Organa. Just play along. Keep it superficial._

She was startled from her thoughts when the door to the captain's swooshed open to reveal the object of her thoughts.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he said. "Ready?"

"Absolutely."

He took her hand and leaned down to kiss her temple. Leia blushed furiously and pulled her hand from his.

"Han, really –"

"Ah-ah, _Mina. _Name's Finn."

"But why are you—?"

"Hey, look, I'm just practicing," He took her hand again, a little more firmly this time, and flashed her a smile.

Leia expelled an exasperated breath. "Come on, flyboy. Let's go."

They descended the opening ramp together.

* * *

Sorry it was short! This is a very busy weekend for me, so I probably won't have an update until Monday.

Let me know what you think!


	4. The reception

A/N: So I had to change the reason why H/L are visiting Celeene to make the story work. Instead of just going on vacation, they are attending a diplomatic conference. The conference is about bringing Celeene out of isolation and integrating the planet into intergalactic affairs. Finn and Mina Nobi are representing Chandrila in the stead of Mon Mothma. You can go back and read the section in Chapter 3 if you want to, but this note pretty much sums it up.

Also, I don't know about you guys, but I really don't like it when someone describes a characters clothing and I just can't picture it. So, I modeled Leia's dress on the one Reese Witherspoon wore to the 2010 Golden Globe Awards. I loved it!

Anyway, getting right down to business!

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 4**

* * *

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful." --Edward R. Murrow

* * *

Leia, awed by the beauty of Celeene, held back a wondrous gasp as she took in the magnificent scenery before her. It was as beautiful as her homeworld, albeit in a different way. Alderaan was home to lush greenlands, alabaster mountains and mirror lakes.

Celeene was more exotic; the greenery and vegetation looked bizarre with its mixed hues and pungent odors. The climate was humid but just bearable enough. Her gaze then traveled to the sky and her mouth dropped open. The sky was a dark purple – so dark it was almost black – there was no opening into the space-field beyond. The planet was choked in the thick purple gas that roiled off as far as the eye could see. Leia noticed several storms within the atmosphere. It was interesting, really: with your gazed fixed straight ahead you saw a beautiful planet, but as soon as you look up you meet with a startling distinction. Leia couldn't help but draw parallels between the planet and she and Han's situation.

Light and dark.

Fire and ice.

_Love and hate._

"Eenjoying thee sceneree, ay see?" Leia's pulled her head out of the clouds (Han would appreciate the pun, she thought) and fixed her gaze on the figure before them. She reprimanded herself for her lack of political tact.

"Quite. You live in a beautiful place."

Leia quickly categorized the Ceelinite in front of her. He was at least as tall as Chewbacca, but was blue-skinned and hairless with long, lithe arms and legs and ended in slender taloned hands and feet. His facial features were very similar to those of a human, but his eyes were large, round, and were filled with penetrating yellow irises. They seemed to gaze into your very soul. A small gem hung on a ring that pierced the section of skin between the nostrils, which matched the jewelry he wore around a long neck. The Ceelinite was dressed in silver, flowing robes with a high collar and short train that dragged a few inches behind him, giving him a ethereal look.

"Wee layke to theenk so." He paused briefly for a moment and slowly stretched out his hand to her. "Meena Nobee. Eet ees a pleasure." The hesitation was not lost on Han, although Leia did not acknowledge the slight.

Leia took her hand from Han's and shook the Ceelinite's warmly, a smile gracing her features.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lord Caetzr. Allow me to present my husband, Finn."

Leia subtly elbowed Han, who immediately held his hand out to the executive.

"Finn Nobi."

"Aahh, Meester Nobee." He bowed. "Pleeased to make your acquaintance. Wee were so deelighted to heear you and your-" again he paused, glancing briefly at Leia –"lifemate could meeet weeth us."

"Not a problem."

_Nerfherder through and through._

"Pleease, allow mee to deerect you to your accommodations. They are een our finest hotel."

Caetzr made a point of walking directly in front of the pair, freeing both Han and Leia from forced interaction with the man.

Han and Leia walked in silence, both too caught up in their thoughts to speak them aloud.

When they reached a rocky promontory about four hundred meters from the landing pad, Caetzr pointed a long, bony finger downward to an awaiting shuttle.

"Thee shuttle ees waiting fohr you. Thee pilot weel take you to where you neeed to bee. I await your presence at thee reception this eeveneeng."

"As do we, my lord."

Caetzr bowed and left them alone on the promontory.

"Come on, sweetheart, better get going."

"Wait, Finn. I just want to look at this for a bit. I could get used to it, you know."

"I know," he said, taking her hand. "But we've got to go. The reception is only in a few hours."

"Alright. I'll follow you."

They made their way into the shuttle and proceeded on to their rooms.

* * *

"Meester and Meesis Nobee," the droid pilot adopted the same accent as Caetzr when speaking. "Ay weel bee your pilot thees afternoon. Ay am taking you too Neesha B'vai Gardens, home to our most special sueetes. Pleease enjoy thee flight."

Immediately, the shuttle undocked from the platform and made its way away from the cliff and crossed a huge valley. The ride was short and both took the time to admire the passing scenery. The golden twin waterfalls to their left were unlike anything Leia had ever seen, and she eagerly pointed this out to Han.

"Looks like this trip could be fun too, huh, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Finn. Perhaps we'll visit the falls during our stay here."

"I'd like that," he said, grinning.

The droid pilot, who, like most droids, did not pick up on human social cues such as private conversation, interrupted them with an introduction of the twin waterfalls.

"That ees the waterfall of thee Teesha Nai, or thee "golden reever" when translated from Ceelee."

"It's lovely."

"There are manee paths to take. I would bee happee to recommend an excursion for you. Meester Nobee may expect to find information in thee room."

"Thanks," Han said, giving Leia a mournful look. She smiled at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin', I just…" he trailed off and nodded pointedly at the droid. "Tell ya when we get there."

"Eet may bee sooner than you expect, Meester Nobee. Wee have arrived at the Neesha B'vai. Your luggage has beeen deeleevered to your sueete."

"Thank you." Leia nodded courteously to the driod. "Please send our thanks to your lord."

"Eet weell be done. Good eeveneeng."

The driod faced forward again as Han and Leia unbuckled themselves and evacuated the shuttle.

Han let out a satisfied sigh and took a good look at the building.

"Let's see if this is worth what we paid for."

The Neesha B'vai was a beautiful, onyx, pentagonal building with spires coming from the ground near each corner. At the top of each spire, an orb of white light was visible against the dark purple haze of Celeene's sky. _I wonder how they have day and night here_, Leia thought.

"It will be, Finn. Now let's go. We have little time to prepare."

"Always business with you isn't it? Relax, we've got time yet."

"We obviously haven't been married long, _dear_. Or you'd know how long it takes your wife to prepare for a formal reception."

"Ooh. Can't wait."

* * *

The inside of the building matched the splendor of the outside. The tall vaulted ceilings and statuette reflected the good taste of the buildings' architect. Overhead some paintings were visible detailing Celeene's history.

The inside of the hotel was acrawl with various sentient beings; Leia assumed by their formal dress that they represented other various sectors that would participate in the convention. Leia's eyes were repeatedly drawn to a different Ceelinite, however; they were unlike any being she had ever seen.

Leia wandered over to the huge, angular, cushioned chairs situated across from the reception desk as Han went to retrieve their room keys and check them in. She sank gratefully into the largest one she could find, grateful for a chance to rest her feet and take a deep breath. As she continued to watch the goings-on, Leia's hand absently began to play with the ring on her left hand. It was interesting to see herself appearing like a married woman. The novelty of being married – let alone to Han, Finn, or anyone else – still overwhelmed her. She let her mind wander into fantasies of she and Han. She smiled to herself as she imagined what it would be like to really _be _with Han and share all that he was; all that he encompassed. The diplomat in her fought back.

_You'd better prioritize, Organa. Do not lose sight of the goal. _

"Hello preety one. Veree small are you." Leia was startled from her thoughts by the speech and leer of an approaching Ceelinite. He was dressed well and carried himself with an air of regality. Leia felt her gaze draw up to the piercing yellow eyes characteristic of every Ceelinite. The man was certainly intimidating, but Leia Organa was not one easily intimidated.

"Hello," she returned shortly. She did not want to be rude, after all.

"Meena Nobee, I theenk. Have not seeen you beefore. I would have reemembered meeeting one so lovelee."

"I agree. We have not met. It is my first trip here with my—"

"Perhaps I weell show you around our lovelee planet?"

"I'm sorry, but—"

"She has a prior engagement."

Leia turned around to find Han, who was looking down at her with a small smile, but then fixed a hard stare at the Ceelinite.

"Finn Nobi."

"Aahh, thee lifemate of thee lovelee one, I am assumeeng. My name ees Laenrs."

"Quite a pleasure, lord Laenrs. I'm afraid my husband and I must be going. We need to make arrangements."

"Oh, thee reception? I shall seee you both there, I theenk."

"Yeah. You will."

"_Finn_," Leia whispered harshly.

Han helped Leia from her seat and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. As they walked toward the turbolifts, Han glanced over his shoulder to see Laenrs watching them.

As they stepped into the lift, Leia shrugged his arm off.

"Finn, really. I can handle myself."

"Just trying to help."

"I can do it alone."

"I know. I just wanted to help," He echoed.

Any response Leia may or may not have formulated was cut off when the lift doors opened and two Gungans entered, chattering on in their native tongue. Han and Leia acknowledged each, and the lift doors closed and again they moved upward.

When they reached their floor, Han, Leia, and the pair of Gungans stepped off. As the lift doors began to close, the Gungans quickly changed their mind and squeezed back in before the lift doors closed. Leia chuckled. Han looked at her and couldn't help but smile.

"I know you're independent. But you know you can always come to me."

Leia was unsure if this was Finn or Han speaking.

"Okay," she replied, slightly uncomfortable with the offer.

Han walked down the corridor and Leia followed. When they reached their suite, Han easily unlocked the obsidian door and walked in.

"Wow."

* * *

Han's patience was tested over the fifteen minutes he sat waiting for Leia in the hotel's sitting room. Unable to contain himself, he let the hand supporting his hand hit the armrest of the chair and got to his feet. Normally not one to be nervous, Han nevertheless began pacing between the glass coffee table and dark leather furniture.

Han really didn't like the way Leia was being treated by the Ceelinites. Like she was… an object or just a figurehead. Leia had calmly told him about the sexual prejudice that was characteristic of all Ceelinites, but he still didn't like it. What surprised him the most was the fact that Leia seemed to take it without batting an eyelash; she accepted it with such… grace.

_How the hell does she do it?_

His own mind answered back.

_Easily. She took the loss of her _planet_ without batting an eyelash._

Han stopped pacing and threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Having fun, flyboy?"

So, apparently Leia had seen the tail end of his mental rant.

"Uh, sure." He turned to face her and had to force himself to keep his jaw from dropping.

She was _beautiful_.

Neither of them said anything as Han unabashedly raked his eyes over her. Her dress was a flattering floor-length midnight blue sheath. The sweetheart neckline was embellished with a glimmering strap that went over her right shoulder. The bodice of the dress was fitted, but the skirt tapered loosely to the floor. Her eyes were lined and smoky, emphasizing her large brown irises. Her hair was swept back into a tight chignon.

Leia crossed her arms under is scrutiny. "Finn."

"Wha- oh, sorry, sweetheart." He met her eyes and began to speak, "You look…" but he lost his words.

Leia uncrossed her arms and placed one on her hip. "Well _you _look nice. I've never seen you in a dress uniform."

"Yeah…"

"Alright, flyboy. Let's get going before you can't speak at all."

Pause.

"We might be too late as it is," she added. She made a quick exit as Han chased her down the hallway to the lift.

* * *

"Did you lock the door?"

"Hey, what kind of idiot do you take me for?"

"A real one."

"Alright, alright. Settle down. I don't think the other delegates will be able to handle your charm."

They said nothing until the lift doors opened to reveal the grand ballroom.

Han offered Leia his arm and she took it immediately.

"Nervous?"

"Nah," he lied. He was still a little worried about how the fellow guests would treat the only female representative in the room. The last thing he wanted was for Leia to feel like all her hard work and training meant nothing.

The grand ballroom was nothing short of opulent. The tall obsidian walls and domed ceiling gave one an air of insignificance. The entire ballroom was round and lined with various tables the guests would sit to eat dinner. The dance floor was situated in the middle. Han noticed the light music that filtered in between the various accents and tongues of the other guests. The thing that most grabbed his attention was the giant orb of white light floating in the center of the ceiling, giving light to the otherwise dark room.

"Well, good. There's nothing to be nervous about," she encouraged, squeezing his bicep. She then disengaged from his arm and went to mingle with the other delegates. Han, at a loss for what to do, grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter droid and took a quick sip.

_I think this thing's gonna last a lot longer than I want it to._

He was then approached by a rather ostentatious-looking Mon Calamari who engaged him in conversation. Han played his part well.

* * *

Bells rang sounding the beginning of the first dinner course. Han took advantage of the moment to disengage from the conversation he had been passively contributed to and made his way over to where Leia was sitting and chatting amicably with a female Togruta.

Sitting down gratefully, Han laid his hand on her shoulder and placed a light kiss on her temple. Her blush was not lost on him.

Leia turned to acknowledge him, then turned back to excuse herself from the conversation with the couple.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Are you enjoying yourself, then?"

"Not as much as you are."

Leia only smiled.

Any possible questioning on Han's part was interrupted from Lord Caetzr's booming opening remarks.

"Welcome, my fellow friends from neear and far. Tonight wee unite to help breeng my lovelee planet into thee uneeyon that has so benefeeted you all…"

* * *

"Meesis Nobee. I do hope ay may not trouble you for a dance weeth mee."

"It would be my honor, Lord Laenrs."

* * *

Han coughed and sputtered into his drink as he looked to see Leia awkwardly trying to compensate for her lack of height while dancing with Lord Laenrs. He was a little jealous that Leia had refused his earlier offer of dancing, but for once remembered to stay in-character and not cause a scene.

_I'm an engineer for sith's sake. I am calm. I am intelligent. I have never wielded a dangerous hand weapon in my life._

_Aw, who am I kiddin'?_

* * *

Leia had studied the steps of Ceelee tango well and was able to match Lord Laenrs' lead.

"My laydee dances well. Sureh-lee on Chandreela you have learned manee dances."

"I have at that. You are a fine dancer as well, my lord."

"Ay thank you."

Leia did not respond, and Laenrs continued. "Why do you trouble yourself weeth poleeteecks? When you are so beeyouteeful?"

"It is in my blood, my lord. I have worked very hard."

"Ay am sure you have." He almost devoured her with his eyes. "Of thees ay have no doubt. Perhaps you weell 'work' for mee as well?"

Leia was angered at his implication. "Thank you for the dance, my lord, but I really must find my husband. He must wonder where I am."

He bowed formally as the dance ended and politely escorted her to the edge of the dance floor.

"Ay am sure ay weell bee seeeing you een thee future."

Leia ignored him and stalked off to find Han.

* * *

It did not take her long.

Leia found him leaning against the edge of an outside pillar and approached him from behind.

"Finn?"

"Mina! I'd wondered where you'd…" He trailed off after seeing the look in her eyes. "Mina? Come on, let's go back--"

Leia shook her head; only pulled on his hand with both of hers.

"Please."

Taking her meaning, Han let her lead him to the dance floor.

* * *

It was a slow tune that they danced to. Han and Leia embodied a married couple in every sense of the words. They danced close together, each reveling in the unacknowledged feelings they stirred in one another.

Leia picked her head up from Han's shoulder and looked at him through glassy eyes.

"Is that what people really see when they look at me?" She whispered.

"What?"

Leia pushed on angrily, incredulously: "Do they—do they think that I _slept _my way to the position I am now?"

"Oh, Mina." He curved his arm further around the smaller of her back and pulled her closer. "Laenrs?" He felt rather than saw her nod.

"He just doesn't know what to say. I mean, look at you: a beautiful woman with so much already accomplished. That's beyond anything these people can imagine. You're successful and smart, funny, bright…"

"Well, go on." She was smiling now.

They both chuckled and Han hugged her to him as the song ended.

* * *

As they made their way out of the ballroom, arm and arm, they recognized that the orb above them had turned significantly dimmer without their noticing.

"Ceelinites must get off on really extravagant lights."

"Finn!" She scolded him, but then relented and leaned into his arm as they made their way back to the lift and then to their room.

* * *

Oh my! Quite a long chapter for me to write.

Pleease let mee know what you theenk ;)


	5. The revelation

So, there's a teeny bit of language here -- just a warning

Onward and upward!

* * *

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 5**

* * *

Once your soul has been enlarged by a truth, it can never return to its original size. --Blaise Pascal

* * *

Leia had not let go of Han's arm for the entire trip back to the room.

And Han noticed.

"You want me to carry you the rest of the way, sweetheart?" he joked.

"No. No, I'm going to be alright, Finn."

"Okay."

A comfortable silence washed over them and Leia leaned into him further. Han knew she was still stewing over Lord Laenrs' remarks that night; that had only augmented his dislike of the tactless Ceelinite.

"Mina, sweetheart, you gotta stop thinkin' about it," Han said as they stepped out of the turbo-lift.

"No I don't."

"Yeah, well, you should. It wasn't even true anyway."

"Yeah, and _that _opinion means a lot," Leia muttered.

Leia's remark had stung him more than he cared to admit, but Han decided to try and avoid the conflict in order to preserve the mission.

_I am an engineer. I possess a calm and cool demeanor. I radiate intelligence and nothing more_.

_I think the High Command is tryin' to mess with my mind. _

"_Mina. _Don't let this go to your head. You're saying things you don't mean."

Han unlocked the door and Leia disengaged from him and stepped into the room, quickly taking off her shoes and flinging them one at a time into the bedroom. Once in the confines of their suite, Leia left the cool facade behind and skated into fiery territory.

"You don't even know what its like! You don't have people constantly and blatantly questioning your credibility! You aren't stalked by tabvids at the mercy of the general galactic population!" She started trailing off; losing her vehemence with each word she spoke. "You weren't a political prisoner or tor-tor…" She flung her hands arms in the air and sank down onto the carpet.

"You were tortured?"

No response.

"Sweetheart."

At that, she picked her head up and emitted a half-wail, half-exasperated "What?"

"Sweetheart. I called you sweetheart."

She smiled a little but looked down at the floor.

He walked over to her spot on the carpet and sat down with her. Leia brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on them. She still did not meet his eyes because she couldn't bear to see the pity.

Han noticed her discomfort at her accidental slip about her experiences on the Death Star, and so he plowed on in an attempt to alleviate some of her pain.

"You're right about a couple things. I haven't been stalked by tabvids because I do my runs a little more…discreetly. But I've got my share of scars."

When that didn't get a reaction out of her, Han ducked a little, trying to get into her line of sight.

"Mina."

When she didn't look at him, he gently tipped her chin up and looked into the depths of her brown eyes.

"Look at it like this. You're a stunning, intelligent woman. You were the youngest member of the Imperial Senate ever elected. I don't particularly enjoy the way these sentients treat you, but it's a huge compliment that they accepted you into this conference. I mean, I know we replaced Mon Mothma, but she's in her own league and all. They couldn't _not _invite her. And yet when she delegated this spot to us, they didn't object."

"They wouldn't dare object. That would be a big 'fuck you' to all of Chandrila."

Han sat still and said nothing for a moment. Leia nudged him with her elbow in query.

"It's just… I didn't know you knew that word."

Leia just laughed.

"Do that again."

"Do what?"

"Your laugh. I don't get to see it very much."

"You're probably the one who's seen it the most," she said quietly.

At her admission, Han realized she was probably right. Leia didn't open up to many people, and it had taken him years to get under her skin. They had gone on numerous covert missions (albeit no disguises quite matched their current ones) and he had often been the recipient of many an exasperated chuckle as the princess had slid the door to her separate quarters closed in his face.

"It doesn't matter. I like it."

"I know."

"Come on. It's been a rough night. And I don't just mean for you." He stood up and held out a hand to her, and, after looking at it for a bit, she pulled herself up with it.

After settling herself back onto her feet, she said, "Finn? Um, where will we be sleeping?"

"Well, seeing as the bedroom _is _logical for a married couple…"

"I'm serious."

"So am I." He winked at her.

"Finn! I mean I'm _serious_." She gave him a pointed stare.

"Oh. Well, uh, we could put a pillow in between us."

Leia mulled it over. "Well, I _suppose _it could work. But one wrong move and…"

"Hey, it's me."

"…And you'll be out on the couch."

"Aw, Mina, on that angular thing? Come on."

"It's what any angry wife would do to her misbehaving husband," she said innocently, adopting a dewey-eyed expression.

"Aw, don't think I don't see right through ya, princess," he joked.

"Finn! You are not allowed to call me that anymore!" she said with incredulity.

His eyes softened. "But you are. You are the princess of my heart." He joked, faking an expression of extreme ecstasy.

"Oh, stop."

He smiled.

"See, it worked."

"What worked, exactly?"

"This."

"Which is _what_?"

"I distracted you." When she gave him a puzzled look, he continued. "From everything."

She exhaled and looked up at the glittering ceiling. "It appears so."

"Yes, it does appear so," he said, mimicking her good-naturedly. He took a step forward and placed a hand on her arm. "Whaddya say we hit the falls tomorrow, huh?"

"Well, the actual negotiations don't start until 1500. We could go early. That way it wouldn't be quite so hot either."

"Right. I'll send for a wake-up call, okay? And then I'm gonna scan this place for bugs one more time. Go get ready for bed. Er, if you want."

She laughed, remembering their earlier spat. "I want." She winked and went into the bedroom, picked up her discarded shoes, and disappeared into the large refresher.

"Water showers!"

Han smirked as her voice carried from the 'fresher.

* * *

As Leia slipped into the shower, she reviewed the plan for tomorrow. The top-secret weapons cache was located near the Teesha Nai, or "River of Gold." She and Han were going to scout the area in the morning under the pretense of going on a leisurely tour of the area. Once the exact location was pinpointed, Han would have to hack into the control systems and get the technical layouts and other necessary geographical or logistical information about the stronghold. The perfect time for him to do this was while Leia was negotiating with the other systems during the conference, which gave them plenty of scouting time. Then, when the conference finished, they would act their parts further and wait (a few days at most) for the opportune moment to infiltrate the cache.

As the water turned Leia's auburn hair black with moisture, she contemplated her situation with Finn.

_Han_.

They had played their parts so well tonight, emulating a happily-married couple precisely. It was so hard to distinguish between Han's actions and words and those of Finn. Was he playing it up to take advantage of the moment?

_Being the scoundrel that he is, probably._

_You don't know that. What if he really feels something? Would that really be that bad? What's the worst that could happen?_

_Oh, I don't know, you'd get yourself killed? You know how dangerous liaisons during missions are. Now, dig up that gods-given Organa work ethic, get out of the shower, and _focus.

Wrapped in a towel, Leia stepped out of the fresher cubicle and changed into some loose-fitting shorts and a fitted tank top. As she searched for her hair pins, Leia caught her reflection's eye and paused.

_Gods, Han was right. I do look tired. Perhaps visiting the falls will take my mind away from all this stress. Political _and _emotional. _

_Except for the fact that it's with Han._

_Oh, sith, just keep an open mind!_

Leia methodically combed out her long hair and arranged it so it would stay away from her face (and Han's) in sleep. Leia stared at her face a bit more and squinted her eyes. If she squinted hard enough, she could blur the dark circles and the worry lines and look almost like any other twenty-three year old girl.

But she was not.

"Coming along in there?"

She had just opened the medicine cabinet behind the mirror and gotten her tooth brush and paste out. She squeezed a marginal amount on the bristles and put the tube of past back on the shelf. She left the mirror open.

Leia couldn't help but smile at her reflection. That man, that Han Solo, made her feel just like any other girl; not a senator, not a princess, not an incapable, fragile flower nor an untouchable officer. He was the only one to break down her defenses. He was her best friend, save Luke.

Leia put the paste on her tooth brush and started brushing.

And it was then she realized that she loved him, that she had loved him for a long time.

But was she _in _love with him?

That was an entirely different matter that was not up for debate. Leia spat her toothpaste into the sink and dismissed the issue quickly with a stream of water.

Han continued off her non-response.

"Okay. Let's _not _have a repeat of last night. I can only wait so long for you, you know."

Leia cringed at his unconscious double meaning.

She returned her tooth brush to its holder and closed the mirror, appraising herself once more. As she neared the door, she turned her ring around her finger nervously. She paused before the threshold.

_Here goes nothing._

"I'm coming out now. Remember, use your words."

* * *

Sorry that it was kind of short! This was more of a development chapter than an action-y chapter, but I promise, that is on the way. Sorry if the toothpaste thing grossed you out. I was using a conceit (aka a really stretched out metaphor; i.e. a tree is to leaf as love is to flea [Thanks, John Donne]. See what I mean?).


	6. The calm

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 6**

* * *

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." – Winston Churchill

* * *

0500 hours.

_Like clockwork, damnit. _

Leia rolled over onto her back and turned her head to look at Han. Her eyes fixed on him, unblinking. What wouldn't she give to be able to sleep like that? The dream had come back to her again that night. But once more there was that unexpected sense of calm. And Leia didn't know what to make of that.

Han's breathing steadily escaped slightly parted lips. One arm lay bent above his head and the other lay across the sheets draped around his waist. Much to her annoyance (or fortune) he had decided to go to bed wearing only boxers. Leia's gaze drifted to the gold-flecked ceiling, thinking of her life. The dream always put her in a contemplative state.

_This is so fake. I'm still alone._

_No you're not. Look at Han. He's here with you._

_What about when he leaves? What happens when this is over and I'm just 'Your Highness' again?_

_You know he wouldn't do that. Admit it, Organa. You owe it to yourself. He'd do anything for you; he cares about you._

_Maybe…_

Leia's gaze came to rest upon Han again as he shifted to face away from her. He mumbled something incoherent and she was shocked to hear her name. She dared to slide closer to him, squishing the pillow that was acting as a barrier underneath her body. Every muscle in her body tensed, ever nerve focused on hearing his next words.

"Leia…" He breathed again, "Not her. Please."

The words brought tears to Leia's eyes and she scooted closer still, feeling the heat radiate off of his bare back. Her thoughts wandered to what Han could possibly be dreaming about. Surely he wasn't having second thoughts on the morning's scouting mission? He shouldn't be afraid. It was only a simple scouting mission and none of them would get hurt. She was touched that Han dreamed of her, but it also frightened her.

_I don't want his dream to come true. I can't lose him. And he can't lose me._

It was futile to convince herself that she believed that for the sake of the rebellion.

* * *

In her quiet observation, Leia noticed that while he slept on his side he placed his hands under the pillow. She found the practice strangely endearing. He also stretched out as much as possible in sleep, his height nearly exceeding the length of the bed. Leia was completely the opposite. When she actually slept, she curled into a tight ball and fisted her hands under her chin.

With one final exhale, Han returned to his quiet, regular breathing and shifted to face her once more. As he turned, their bodies brushed, faces millimeters apart and Leia tensed. Han opened his eyes and met hers. Leia expected a snide remark or a smug smirk, but she received none. Instead Han shut his eyes quickly and turned away from her, exited the bed and entered the fresher, closing the door behind him.

Leia was a little hurt by Han's reaction. She lifted her body from the separating pillow and turned her body lengthwise to place her feet into the waiting slippers on the floor. Quietly, dejectedly, she made her way into the large sitting room adjacent to the bedroom. She made her way over to the black stone window seat and pressed her face against the glass. The glass was cool on her forehead and the stone cool on her thighs and palms, but Leia ignored it. The night sky of Celeene was appeared even more malevolent than in the daytime. The dark purple storm seemed to sneer at her when Han hadn't, but it also stayed as Han hadn't. The sky didn't turn its back on her. That's why Leia loved nature. That was the only thing that never left her.

Why had Han left the bed so swiftly? Was he disgusted with her presence? Once again, Leia succumbed to her recent habit of playing with the ring she still had on her left ring finger. Slowly, slowly, Leia knew she was falling for Han Solo.

* * *

A swoosh of the bedroom door did not merit Han's approach, because in the Ceelee-style room did not contain any doors (except the fresher). Booted footsteps did not signal his arrival either, because he was barefoot. These things did not cause Leia Organa to stir from her perch on the window seat when Han placed his hand delicately on her shoulder. When he squeezed and gave a gentle shake, she glanced back at him and scooted over on the stone bench. Implicitly, Han took her meaning and sat beside her, removing his hand from her shoulder. He sighed a bit at the stone's biting touch, but quickly forgot it as he turned his eyes on the woman next to him.

"Really, strange isn't it?" Leia said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah." Han did not know what she was referring to, but responded in the affirmative anyway.

Leia still did not look at Han but that did not deter him in the slightest.

"Hey," he said warmly, "What are you doing up and out on this cold thing?"

_Like you don't know. _

"Couldn't sleep. That's all."

"Bad dream?"

_I could ask you the same thing. _Han's change in body language alerted her that she had, in fact, spoken that last thought aloud.

He directed his gaze at the window too. "Nope. Not a one."

At this lie, Leia turned on him. "Han. I'm not really sure what happened in there. But…I heard you say things…my name, and—"

"It's really none of your business."

"How is it none of _my _business? We were sleeping in the same bed!"

"Yeah, well _one _of us seemed a little too cozy in there, sweetheart," he remarked.

"Well _you're _the one who suggested the pillow in the first place!"

"I was not! That was all you, babe."

"And another thing!" Leia had fully intended to finish her comeback, but found none. Her shoulders drooped. "Here we are again."

"Where are we exactly?"

"Fighting."

"Aw, c'mon Mina. It's our thing, you and me."

"It doesn't mean I like it. We should be sleeping and preparing for the falls!"

"You're right."

"And--!" she stopped short. "Did you just say that I'm right?"

"Believe me, I'm more surprised than you. I'm sorry Leia, about… turning away in there. I just… didn't want you to feel threatened or intruded on. I know I was putting you out as it is, and…" he trailed off, looking into her eyes and begging her to understand.

She ached to tell him that he was wrong, that he had not put her out at all, that he was the source of the unexpected calm. But she could not.

"It's alright." She offered a tentative smile. "Truce?" She held out her right hand to him.

"Always," he said, before taking her hand and surprising her by pulling her closer into a hug. Leia tentatively returned his embrace, a little shocked by the warmth of his bare skin. "You're cold."

Leia nodded. "I'm always cold."

"Well, this blasted seat ain't helpin'. Come on, let's go back to bed." He rose, expecting her to follow. He strode a few steps and turned back to check on her progress. "Mina?"

_Just this once, I'll let my guard down._

"Tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Your dream. Tell me." Her dark eyes implored him.

Han looked down. "It was nothing."

"It was _not _'nothing,' Finn. What happened?"

"I dreamed that we were… that you…Aw hells, Leia, I can't say this now!"

Leia opened her mouth in indignation, but then caught his meaning. Secrecy and preservation of their secret identities were the most important things on the mission. Han couldn't talk about their 'capture.' Yet implicitly, she had understood.

"We're going to be fine, Finn. We're going to be _fine_."

"I know. We can't not be." He walked over to her and picked up her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Let's get one more hour in, huh?"

"Okay."

They made their way to the bedroom, still holding hands. Han let go of her hand as she made her way to the other side of the bed. The pillow was still there and bore the imprint of her hip from her earlier observation.

"This is so odd."

"Not so bad from where I'm sittin', sister."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Just go to sleep, Finn."

"Yes, _dear_."

They settled themselves onto their backs and stared at the ceiling in silence. Han turned his head to look at her, watched her as she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep. He knew it was hard for her to do.

A long minute later, Leia turned to face him and he followed suit.

Han still thanks his lucky stars for what she did next.

Leia, eyes still closed blissfully, wiggled until she was right next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Desperate to reassure himself of her safety, Han wrapped his arm around her, a goofy smile indicative of his mood.

_This is just how all married couples sleep, _Leia thought._ We aren't doing anything! I mean, I'm just being in character, right? And so is Han. This is going to be a one-time thing. _

_Keep telling yourself that!_

Leia did realize that she had possibly made a severe mistake here. A one-time thing could easily lead to another one-time thing, and to another and another. But it was too late to pull away from Han; she might offend him and relive their earlier disagreement.

Leia slept peacefully for one more hour.

* * *

The Ceelinite attendant rang them up at 0700 hours.

_Back to reality._

* * *

Sorry for the delay! This week has been really stressful schoolwise. The next part of this story will be posted by this Wendesday!

Please let me know what you think / if you are still out there! Teehee.


	7. The trust

I want to thank all of you out there who are still reading this story. Rest assured that my medical condition has improved significantly and I have finally had a few spare hours to continue this.

* * *

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 7**

* * *

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." - Ivan Panin

* * *

Han answered on the first ring, hesitant to wake the sleeping girl beside him.

"Yeah?" he grunted.

"Meester Nobee? Thees ees Sooni heere weeth your awakening call."

"Thanks. Job well done." He was already putting the receiver down.

"Pleeased to bee of –" Click.

Han sighed and fixed his gaze on Leia. He brushed her cheek with his forefinger, which elicited an almost-undetectable smile from her. She exhaled amusedly, but quickly calmed her features, pretending to be asleep.

"Now, princess," he began, pretending to reprimand her, "don't think I didn't see that."

Leia tried in vain to hide another smiled that invaded her face.

"Come on Mina, we've gotta get going or it'll be too hot."

"No." Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

"Mina."

"No!"

Han then tickled her. "I'll get _you _outta bed, sweetheart, if it's the last thing I do!"

"No! No, Finn, I'm up, I'm up!" She squealed, squirming away from his attack.

"That's more like it."

Leia glared at him.

"Now be a good princess and have your shower. I'll go get our packs ready for the falls."

"Yes, _dear_."

Han hid a smile.

* * *

"All ready to go?" Leia entered the living room and perched delicately on one of the oversized chairs. She was dressed in well-fitting cargo pants a cream, sleeveless shirt and boots. Her hair was in a simple arrangement piled on top of her head to keep it away from her neck and shoulders.

"I've been ready. Here." He handed her a backpack slightly smaller than his own. "I've got the maps, tools, and water in mine, and you've got the food."

Curiously, Leia opened the backpack to reveal a variety fruits native to Celeene, some dried, smoked meat, and a crusty loaf of bread.

"This looks nice. Where did you find it?"

"Hotel kitchen," he answered, smiling smugly.

"Finn! We are _guests_."

"Well, I think it's only fair. We're paying a fortune. The least a guy can do is provide some food for his wife."

Leia blushed at the title. "I guess some good things come out of your antics. Now let's hurry, I want to make it to the falls before it's too humid." She shouldered her pack and headed for the door. She opened it and had one foot out the door, then stopped and turned to look at him. "And don't forget to lock the door."

"Strange woman," Han muttered to himself before exiting and locking the door behind him.

Leia continued on the way to her lift and greeted the two Gungans that she had seen earlier on the trip.

The taller of the two nodded curtly, but the other, slightly fatter male grabbed at her hand and held her ring up to the light. The Gungan was mesmerized by the glittering diamond, and rattled off something in his native tongue to his companion, who again only nodded. The Gungan holding her ring bowed and traveled down the other direction of the hallway, while the other gave her a lingering glance and then waddled off in the same direction his friend had travelled.

Han came up behind Leia. "What was that about?"

Leia jumped slightly. "Nothing, really. They liked the diamond," she said, clenching and unclenching her left hand, "or rather one of them did. Finn, those are the same Gungans who got off on our floor the other day and then changed their minds and left. Do you think that we're –"

"Mina, stop."

"I'm serious! What if they –"

"No! Worry about it later when you get bored whilst mingling with your little diplomatic peanut gallery."

"Finn! We are _not_--!"

"Aw, come on sweetheart, I'm teasing you!"

"Can I just finish _one _sentence today, if that's alright?" Leia said sarcastically as the lift doors opened.

"Maaaaybe."

"Typical male," she muttered, pressing the button for the lobby a little too firmly.

"Hey!"

"Oh, shut, up, flyboy."

The lift doors closed.

* * *

"By my calculations, the trail to the summit of the falls should be…" Han twisted left, "…there." He looked up in the direction he was facing and met with a solid rock wall. "Oh."

"Let me check those," Leia said.

"Look here, _I _have the coordinator, now let _me _read it."

Leia snatched it from him and quickly dashed behind a nearby tree.

"I've found your mistake."

"Does it start with M and end in I-N…"

"Funny. We're at the sixth latitude, not the sixteenth. So the Teesha Nai should be… due west." She turned in the direction and saw a path and a sign that read "V'ai kve Teesha Nai."

"To the Teesha Nai, I think," she said, looking up from the coordinating device at him.

Han held his hands up. "I swear that wasn't there before."

"Of course not."

* * *

Han and Leia stopped for some water and a snack about three-quarters of the way up the steep trail.

As they neared the summit, the golden fog was too dense for their eyes to permeate.

"Better put these on," Han said, fishing out two pairs of refractor goggles.

"Thanks," she said, fitting them over her hair. "Let's go."

They traveled in silence for a while. The fog had grown so thick that Leia could not longer see her own feet.

_Oh no. Oh no, no, no._

Irrational fear siezed her.

_No, its not dark, its light outsider, Leia, look up! _But the odd purple sky was hidden from view also.

Leia's breathing quickened and she started to panic. Her whole body began to shake.

_Where's Han? _Leia dared not sit. What if there was no ground, or she fell down the side of the mountain, or encountered an animal or something sharp? Her hands shook so violently now that she could not control them.

It was so thick. She couldn't breath, couldn't see. She needed to see, she wanted to scratch at the air to find an opening, to make one, before she suffocated.

Tears slid rapidly down her cheeks.

"Finn?" She whispered. Her voice was so weak. It cracked as she called to him a little louder. "Finn?"

A hissing noise suddenly invaded Leia's ears and she raised her hands to cover her head. Still, she could not move. Leia prayed to every God and Goddess she knew that she would go unnoticed.

A tall figure made its way through her line of sight, wearing a gas mask, rubber suit, and holding a giant fan with which he or she used to disperse the fog. For a second, Leia could make out the path and surrounding vegetation. Her heart leapt.

And then the figure was gone, and the fog was choking her again.

Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her upper arms from behind. Leia screamed and started to cry harder.

"Shh, shh, sweetheart, it's me, it's Finn." He turned her around swiftly and held her tightly against himself.

Leia grabbed handfuls of his shirt as her sobs quieted.

"It's okay. It's okay," he said, smoothing her unkempt hair and placing little kisses on the top of her head. "I know you can't see. Must be bad goggles. But I've found a clearer area."

Leia didn't say anything or make an effort to move.

"Here, hold my hand." He laced his fingers with hers. "Trust me."

As Han led her along blindly, Leia was reminded of a silly game in her elementary school similar to this. Then she had never placed trust in her classmates, mainly because on her first try her partner had let her trip over a root. But as Han pulled her gently along, she let go completely.

After about thirty seconds, she felt him stop and squeezed her eyes shut. Han removed her goggles. Leia opened her eyes and blinked rapidly, breathed deeply, and took in her surroundings. Never before had she felt such a reprieve.

Embarrassed by her display of emotion, she smoothed her hair and adjusted her hairpins, wiped her eyes and looked at him.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She nodded, and then changed the subject. "We're off the trail."

Han just stared at her. Then he spoke, as if choosing each word carefully. "I know. But I think it might be a good thing. I don't think Ceelinites would hide weaponry on tourist trails. There are some burrows here that I want to check out."

"Burrows? Like animal burrows? But how could any native fit?"

"These are pretty big. I'm gonna go scan one. Come over here with me."

Han took a thermal scanner out of his backpack and started the preliminary charge. After the device had warmed up, Han was about to release the first exploratory frequency when Leia stopped him.

"Don't you think they'd detect a scanner?"

"I don't think so. Not this one anyway. I've modified it, you see."

"Or in other words, it's illegal."

Han focused his gaze on her and gave her a dewey-eyed expression. "Aw, look, so smart already."

"Just scan the burrow, Finn."

A few moments and a few higher frequencies later, Han showed Leia the graph with the results.

"Scanner's picking up thermal radiation coming from the other side of the falls. Could be a material waste disposal plant. I'll check it out after I take you back to the hotel."

Leia nodded. "Good plan."

Han smiled at her approval.

"Let's go then. A Chandrilan is never late."

* * *

Please review! Thanks for sticking with me!


	8. The split

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 8**

* * *

"The first reaction to truth is hatred." - Tertullian

* * *

"Now I left my comm. link in the hotel room, so you take this one, okay?" Han held the unit out to her, but she did not move to take it from him. At this non-action, Han reached for her hand and pressed it into her palm, closing her fingers over it.

"Hotel's that way." He indicated with his head. "Think you can make it the rest of the way? Fog's clear now." At her non-response, he added, "But be careful on the way down."

_Don't go. _Leia truly was reluctant to leave him alone on the mountain. What if something happened to him?

She nodded, and started to stall him. "So, you're heading back to the burrows?"

"Yeah. I'm going to figure out where that thermal radiation is coming from, and hopefully I can scramble into an entrance from there. I'll hide a recorder somewhere and we'll watch the footage later. Then we can start planning."

Leia's eyebrows rose. "Wow. You've really thought this out."

"Oh, she wounds me!" Han's hand clutched his left shoulder and he staggered to the ground as if he had been dealt a fatal blow.

Leia rolled her eyed. _This man… _"Stop. I'm just… I don't know – stunned? Shocked?"

"Impressed?"

"Not in the least. Can I poke holes?"

"Is that a question in which you'll expect an honest answer?"

"Not likely."

_Five minutes later_

"And then there are some safety concerns." She noted Han's body language screamed boredom. "Are you listening? This is serious! What if something happens to you? How will you contact me, or anyone else for that matter, for help? How will I contact you if _I_ need you?"

"Princess, please. We both know you don't _need _me. You've made that clear."

"What is _that _supposed to mean?" Leia was shocked at this comment. Wasn't what she was doing showing concern for him?

"Exactly what I said." Han was smirking now.

"Finn! I don't believe this! I'm just making sure that nothing goes wrong! Is it so hard to believe that I care about the success of this mission?"

Han had just been playing with her, but at her last statement, he became a little irritated.

"Oh, _just _the mission? What about my success in _survival_?"

Leia had been regaining her regal stance during this verbal spar, ever the refined diplomat. Despite her military clothing, she was every inch the princess she was raised to be. But at this barb she withered.

"I want you to be okay," she whispered.

His anger dissipated. Han stalked over to her. "And I will be," he said encouragingly. "It's me who should worry about you. After all, who knows what sort of wild show-downs occur in these meetings of yours?" He smiled.

"I couldn't say really. But they are quite a scene." She smiled back at him, and turned to begin her descent. Then she changed her mind and tossed the comm. link at him. He caught it, but walked over to her with every intention of shoving it down her throat. She put her palm to his chest in a calming gesture. "Take this. I'll get yours from the hotel room after I change. When should I expect you back?"

"Uh, sometime before dark. Maybe earlier. When's the conference over?"

Leia glanced at her chrono while she answered that it would adjourn at 1600 hours.

_Damn. 1100 already?_

Han titled his head forward to read the time on her chrono. "You'd better get going."

"I know!" she shouldered her pack and began walking away.

"Hey, Princess!" She stopped but did not turn around. "Don't miss me too much!"

Leia threw her hand up in the air by way of recognition.

* * *

After Leia departed, Han re-shouldered his pack and started up the mountain. Playing upon his navigational instincts, he easily spotted their previous path, and (after donning the refractor goggles) found his way back to the narrow burrows.

Han set down his pack and started reviewing his plan. He could either make his way to the other side of the falls to investigate the thermal readouts his scanner had picked up, or try and to see where the burrows linked up. Weighing his options, Han decided it would take too long to cross the falls, and he wanted to be back to the hotel before Leia.

_Leia_.

Han sighed. He was really tired of putting up this husband façade. Contrary to (some) popular belief, Han Solo was not stupid. It was beginning to get pretty obvious that this disguise was pretty much an excuse for him to touch and be with Leia in ways that she normally would not have allowed. He wasn't sure if she had noticed this too, because she seemed pretty unconcerned with the way he was treating her. And she _definitely _was not stupid either. She _had _to know the truth behind this. How could she not? I mean, sure, she was pretty inexperienced (or so he guessed), but really, he was being so… obvious. He had an inkling that she had other reasons for allowing him to touch her and hold her than just to solidify their disguises. There were plenty of non-touchy couples in the galaxy, and Leia had had no problem rejecting him in the past. Then again, she was so dedicated to her work. But maybe…

Han gave himself a mental slap. He needed to have his wits about him.

_No distractions. She would eliminate them too._

Without further ado, Han stuffed the goggles back into the front pocket of his pack, and started headfirst into the narrow burrow.

* * *

Leia easily made her way down the mountain and back to the hotel, but she had to stop herself from fidgeting with her ring in worry.

_He's going to be fine. He's Han Solo for the Gods' sake. _

_Why are you worrying anyhow?_

_I want him to get out of this. I want _us _to get out of this unscathed. This is why I do single-man missions. My damn altruism is clouding my judgment._

But was it really her innate selflessness, or was it something more? She had to admit, she was beginning to think that Han was taking advantage of their disguises to become more intimate with her. And for the most part, she welcomed it. But on the other hand, as she had noted before, it was best to ignore it.

_The mission and the Rebellion are the most important!_

Were they really?

Leia genuinely didn't have anyone who gave a Voorpak's ass about her. All they cared about was her ability to lead. After all, after successfully withstanding an Imperial interrogation, and losing her entire _life _without a single tear shed, it only made others admire and glorify her even more. The strong princess who lost it all and lived! And look, she's not even upset! It was rather counter-intuitive, really. Most people would think that her reaction was almost unnatural, mechanical even. But that was the way of the galaxy. It was always surprising her.

_Just like someone else she knew._

* * *

"Damn."

It was the second time Han had successfully pinned an arm beneath him as he crawled through a burrow. After wrenching his arm free, he slid it behind him and fumbled around for his luno-lamp.

He groaned as he felt his chrono slip off his wrist due to the effort. Well, guess he'd have to leave it behind.

_Damn thing was cheap anyway_.

Ignorantly, he had forgotten to attach the headlamp-like device before crawling in. Without his other arm, Han was forced to hold the luno-lamp in one hand and pull himself along with the other. There was not room enough to place his hands above his head.

He estimated that he had crawled forward for around one standard hour. The passage had not gotten smaller, which was a good sign. It meant that it was not a natural burrow. No, someone had definitely dug this. The question was, how? Ceelinites were far too large to fit through.

_Maybe they had some other creature do it for them. Wouldn't surprise me if they had some slaves or something_.

After around ten minutes more of scrambling, Han met with a dead end. He blinked a few times, wondering if he was imagining it. Nope. With a little prodding, it was solid earth that he felt.

_You gotta be kidding me! How in the hells do I get out of here? Unless I start diggin'. _

True, Han had been anticipating a large chamber at the end of the tunnel where he would be able to place the recorder, and then he would climb back out head first. Now it appeared that he would have to push himself out in reverse.

_Brace yourself, Solo. And thank yourself for working out._

He began the slow push back to the surface.

After about three-fourths of the way up, Han decided to leave his luno lamp and pack behind. The climb would be easier without the equipment. He could always go back for it later.

Han had almost levered himself out of the entrance when he felt something grasp his ankle and yank him backward.

* * *

HAHA! Suspense! ;)


	9. The meeting

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 9**

* * *

"Never assume the obvious is true." - William Safire

* * *

Leia Organa sat silently in the opulent Neesha B'vai Gardens conference room, mentally taking meeting minutes. This was a skill she had perfected since early childhood. Today, however, she found the mental note-taking increasingly more difficult. Though she was loathe to admit it, she was still concerned for Han.

_We should have stayed together._

_Stop it or you're going to blow your cover. It's been awhile since you've contributed to the conversation._

But something didn't feel right to Leia. That unanticipated feeling of comfort given by her dreams was washed away with a strong sense of uneasiness. Something definitely was not right. It was difficult to explain, really. It just didn't _feel _right. Stones dropped into Leia's stomach. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the Coruscanti representative expressing his distaste for oligarchic control over economic affairs proposed by a Naboo.

_Figures. _ Leia scowled, but applauded herself for putting up with the Imperial representatives thus far. But after this princess had faced down Darth Vader, petty executives were as easy as riding a speeder bike – once you learned how, of course. Leia almost went as far as to call them comical.

"—and this is obviously because committees are messy. Friends, let us be honest with one another. Boards of Directors – or whatever title you may give them – are highly subjective to their members' tastes. Now consider to _true _authority meant to govern all matters. And that is, _obviously_," he paused to chuckle, "militant totalitarian authority! Let us consider the Empire's role—"

Leia stood up. "Excuse me, Representative Perle, but the Empire's jurisdiction does not apply to the planet or the inhabitants of the planet Celeene." Leia's hover-craft podium floated forward toward's Perle's as she continued. "The purpose of this convention was to include Celeene in the galactic trading system, not to convert more economies to the Imperial model."

"Your point is well taken, Madame Nobi, but might I remind you that the Empire is the most influential power since the Trade Federation? Surely the Ceelinites will recognize and adapt to our authority, just as other systems have."

"Why not let the citizens decide for themselves? Plebiscite is not illegal. Let the citizens determine their fate. Let self-determination and neoliberalism run their courses. This meeting is, after all, merely a catalyst to simplify their individual proceedings, not a decision made for them."

"Hmm, what pretty ideas Chandrila fills your head with," this response rewarded Perle with a few chuckles from other representatives. "Why, one would think you were a Rebel with those idealistic sentiments flying out of your mouth. Sooner or later, darling, you will come to accept the Empire's vast sphere of influence." He smiled mockingly at her.

The use of the pet name was not lost on Leia, but she knew better than to rise to the bait. They were toying with her, not taking her seriously. Calming her near-overwhelming indignation, she plastered a blinding smile onto her face and concluded,"I understand your viewpoint, Representative Perle. Let my objections be considered." She sat down, fuming, and her podium retracted.

It was highly embarrassing in any situation to be so utterly humiliated by another, but in this intellectual and political setting, Leia's discomfort was magnified. Trying to calm her nerves, she instead let her eyes wander over the other representatives in attendance. As her eyes drifted across the rows, her anger only grew. Was it possible that _no one _agreed with her?

_Or they don't lack the courage to go up against the Empire._

Her hand curled into a fist. Trying to dissipate her anger, her eyes kept wandering the rows.

_Myomar, Myrkyr, Mytus VII…_

_Naboo._

The Gungan representative (sent independently from the Naboo) uncrossed his legs and leaned to whisper something to the human representative from Naboo. After settling back into his chair, he turned to glare at her.

He did not retract his gaze for quite some time.

* * *

The first thing he felt was pain. Crackling, pounding, mind-numbing pain.

Han Solo lay alone in the coming darkness. As he tried to sit up, the pain in his jaw and back of his skull intensified, and he quickly put his head on the ground hard, sending jolts of pain down his back.

_Leia. _

He knew he wouldn't be able to get to her. Han realized he had made her fears come true, and _that _scared _him_. She was so fragile sometimes.

If he could've, Han would've physically shaken his head. Leia? Fragile?

_Yeah right._

An idea hit him, and he slowly reached into his trouser pocket to hit the emergency beacon on his comm. link. He groaned as he realized that he had left all of his supplies in the burrow.

_Aw, sith! I need those recorders. _

A nearby bush shook. Han froze and slammed his eyes, shut, willing his breathing to calm. Perhaps whatever it was would not notice him. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to tense his stomach muscles when he felt them being prodded with something.

_A stick?_

Han squinted his eyes just enough to see who it was that was poking him.

He was surprised to see the fat Gungan standing over him.

* * *

_He said he'd be back before nightfall!_

Leia began her thirteenth lap around the hotel room.

_Where is he?!_

She wrung her hands as she paced, praying he was alright.

_Come on Organa, you were never taught to sit passively by. _

_But I can't go looking for him; he'd think I didn't trust him._

_Do you?_

_Of course I do! I – care about him. A lot._

_Too much?_

"Maybe," she whispered to herself, her eyes fixed on the dark sky. "Maybe."

* * *

"Hey! What's the big idea!"

The Gungan leapt back in surprise. "OOH! Meesa so sorries, sah. Is yousa alrightsa?"

"Never better." Han once again attempted to sit up, but groaned with the effort. Finally he was able to support his weight on his arms by leaning back on them. "What the hell're you doin' here at this hour?" He raised his left hand to scrape some dirt from his cheek. "And who in the hells pulled me out?!"

"Oh, meesa so sorry. Meesa thinks yousa was an aneemal. No aneemals needs ta be messing around heres."

"Couldn't agree more." Han bent his legs up and rested his forearms on them, and leant his torso forward. "What _are _you doin' here, anyway?"

"Why, weesa looking for the secret weapons, sah!"

"You're _what?_" Han could've laughed himself into a fit. This guy was just revealing his operation. "What weapons?"

"Ooh, theresa manee weapons heres. Very secret, yes! I needs to finds them whilesa Yano es een the conference!"

"Oh, so you've been digging around here! My wife and I came across these burrows earlier. We were quite puzzled."

"Yousa has a preety wife-a, sah. Meesa saws the ring!"

"Uh, thanks."

"Yesa. We needs to find them – weapons!"

"You do, eh? Well, good luck."

"Wellsa, thanksa for that!"

Han still sat and the Gungan still stood. Neither was willing to move. Han did not want to display the fact that he was pretty much incapable of standing, and the Gungan wasn't budging anytime soon.

"Ookay sah. I gots ta go find Yano. Isah tells him I finds you!" He looked gleeful.

"No, no. I'm just…uh…watching the sky. I dropped my communicator in a burrow, so I was just fetchin' it, then you pulled me out. Nothin' to worry about."

"Ooh! Okaysah! Byesah!"

Han mock-saluted him and laid back down.

_Gods. What a lunatic. _

Han knew he had a possible concussion, so it wouldn't be a good idea to sleep.

_Its gonna be a long night, Solo. Start running those hyperspace logarithms. _

But his mind was filled with thoughts of Leia.

* * *

The sky was so dark back at the hotel room. It filled Leia with fear.

_I have to find him. I can't just sit here and wait. If he thinks I don't trust him, so be it! At least I'll know he's safe._

She packed her own personal pack, shouldered it, and headed for the door.

* * *

It took Leia quite some time to locate their path in the dark, but eventually she saw the sign for the Teesha Nai trail. Her breathing quickened with each step.

_Please let him be alright. Please, _please _let him be alright._

As Leia climbed the steep trail for the second time that day, the air cooled and she felt a light mist gather on her exposed skin.

_Oh no. Oh gods, not again. _

Soon she was surrounded by the fog. Trapped. Again. With no Han to save her.

Every part of her body was screaming at her to turn around, to get out, to find a way to see, but her joints and muscles refused to cooperate.

_I can't leave him_.

Slowly, shakily, Leia stretched out her hand. With a deep inhale, she slid her left foot forward. Ground? Check. No obstacle as of yet? Check.

After about twenty paced North, Leia shifted east. Then her ankle encountered a boulder and she plunged forward, sending her face-first into a patch of dirt. As she twisted to free herself, her body slumped itself to the side, and she ended up a crumpled heap.

_I'll never find him this way. There has to be _some_ other way to move through the fog! _

Her refractor goggles were broken, of that she was sure, but then idea came to her. She shifted around and fumbled through her pack with one arm, and finally located her scanner. It was smaller than Han's, and _legal_. She almost chuckled. Pointing the scanner in front of her, she sent out a small sonic charge. When no signal returned to the scanner, Leia stepped forward. When a pulse came back with no signal, Leia stepped forward. When a pulse returned and the scanner was able to record it, so Leia would step in a different direction.

Finally out of the fog, Leia breathed a huge sigh of relief and she couldn't help but be proud of herself.

_I did it! _She smiled.

Her smile was quickly replaced with a frown at the sight on Han's prone body lying near the burrow entrances.

"Ha- Finn!"

Leia dropped the scanner and scrambled over to him, dropping on her knees beside him.

"'Bout time, your worship," he said, his voice raspy.

Leia placed her palm on his forehead, then moved it to rest on the side of his face. When he fixed his eyed on her, she withdrew it and placed it on her lap.

"I thought – I thought you'd—" She bit her lower lip.

"Calm down. I'm okay, I promise. A little bruised, maybe, but when has that stopped me?" As if to prove his point, he sat up and supported his weight on his palms.

"Oh, Finn," she breathed while wrapping her arms around his neck.

_She found me. She's here. _

Han was elated to feel her small body so near to his once more.

"Gen— Mina! Gently, now."

She pulled back. "Oh! Look at you! What a mess!"

She left him to get the medpack she had brought as a precaution. He called out, "How'd you get here, anyway? I mean, the fog…"

She glanced up and him and resumed her search for the medpack. "I used the echo function on my scanner." She looked thoroughly pleased with herself.

"Nifty. Say, did you bring any food? I've been here for awhile."

Leia smiled.

* * *

That's it for now! Please review!


	10. The shock

Wow! It certainly has been awhile, hasn't it? Well, I have managed to crank out a short and suspenseful chapter. Sorry for the hugely huge delay.

* * *

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 10**

**

* * *

**

"If you're strong but you're terrified, then you are who you are. If you're here but forget where you're going, then by all means, go on. If you'd wait but you're getting impatient, then just let go. If you know but you can't understand it, carry on. Carry on, carry on…"  
- "Carry On"

* * *

"Food! Is that all you've been thinking about this time, Han? Why the hells didn't you comm. me?"

"Leia, whoa…"

"No!" She stopped her ablutions and stood up, exasperated. "I am _not _Leia!"

"Sweetheart, come over here." Han froze, eyes fixed behind her right shoulder.

"No."

"Princess!"

"Stop it, Han."

"Leia, I mean it!"

"And just _who _do you think _you _are to tell me that?"

"Leia!" Han was sitting up now, trying to move enough to get to her before-

"Oh, please, just sit down. You'll overexert your…" She trailed off and slowly turned around.

Han had managed to get up on one knee before she screamed.

"Leia!"

* * *

Han waited outside the medical office in a gargantuan curved chair reserved no doubt for the tallest of Ceelinites. He looked out at the skylight towards the storming sky. Had it become darker lately? He didn't even know anymore.

It had been for hours, four hours since Leia's accident. Han was beside himself with worry. He couldn't get to her, not before that, that _thing _had hit her. Luckily, he had been able to scare it away with a yell before it went any further.

_It's my fault she got hurt. I went up the mountain alone, I got caught and hurt, and she had to come and find me. It's my fault she's hurt._

Han clasped his hands together over his knees and leaned forward to rest his forehead on them. It was true. The princess had braved the fog, her worst fear, to save him.

_If that wasn't love… No, don't go there, Solo. _

It had been three hours and thirty-four minutes since she was prepped for emergency surgery, two hours and eight minutes since he found out that it went successfully but she had still succumbed to a coma, and fifty-two minutes since he had last checked on her.

If Han could've, he would've stayed with her and held her hand. He would've smoothed that gorgeous hair and pleaded silently with her to wake up. But he couldn't bear to—to see her this way. So…broken. That animal had given her a pretty good slash, and it was likely to have left a scar, if not for his quick action.

He had carried her, carried her all the way down and into the hotel for emergency medical transport. He had run so fast and yet so slow, slowly enough not to jostle her too much.

And now all Han had left to do was wait.

* * *

It was cold. Where was she, where was she? She needed to know her whereabouts. Leia sat up and immediately regretted it.

"Awake, ay see?"

Leia groaned inwardly. She should've remembered the first step when waking up in unfamiliar territory was to open your eyes and asses your surroundings.

"Whaaaaaaaa?" She tried to formulate a sentence, but found her mouth limp and unable to form the words.

"Shh, all een good time. Your lifemate will bee heere soon."

It was Lord Caetzr. Leia closed her eyes again, but was unable to find peace. That feeling, the feeling of unexpected calm, was not with her today. She fell back into a fitful sleep, the sound of beeping monitors and probes and droids whirring around her.

She awoke to the morning light. Leia smiled and stretched on the hospital cot. It was so wonderfully, wonderfully warm here. She let out a gratified hum and stretched langoriously.

"Miss?" Leia opened her eyes to see a Ceelinite medic standing near her bed.

Leia's eyes popped open and immediately pulled up the sheets to cover the thin gown she was wearing.

"Yes, uh, hello," she said, recovering her faculties.

"Hello, yes, that eez how you say eet. Ay am afraid you have suffered a tereeble head injuree, Meess Organa. You…"

Leia sat up abruptly and shrank back onto the pillows.

"What did you call me?"

"Your, name, Meess Organa. Shall ay call you Your Royal Highness? Ay do apologize."

Leia didn't even hear him anymore.

* * *

R&R! :)


	11. The crisis

APs are over! School is over! My medical condition has improved! It's summahtime :) This means more frequent updates (that is, until I leave for China on June 23).

But, without further ado...

* * *

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 11

* * *

**

"The truth is cruel, but it can be loved and it makes free those who have loved it." - George Santayana.

* * *

_Kreth kreth_ _krethkrethkreth_.

"Certainly, Mr…" Leia scanned the medic's name tag "…Anjalee. That name suits me. I just wonder this: how do you know what I am called?" She asked, trying to hide her anxiety.

"Well, Mees Organa, it was a last meenoot decision. Wee could not locate your medeecal records and wee neeeded to operate weeth haste, so ay ran a Dee-En-Aye scan. Ay am sorree to have invaded your privacee…"

"No," Leia cut him off. "Please. You were just doing your job." Leia, of anyone, knew the meaning of duty. Despite the predicament she was in, Leia appreciated the medic's quick actions. She might have died otherwise.

"Yes…" the medic's brow furrowed. "Oh!" He brightened. "There was a man… earlee-er…hee was askeeng about you, mees. Hee seeemed veree worreeed about you. Eenseested you seee thee best onlee. Your lifemate must care for you veree much."

Leia's eyes fell to the floor. "He's not my lifemate."

_What the hell? Are you trying to shoot this mission in to the hells?_

"Oh? Hee is not?"

Leia searched desperately for a response to cover her slip. "Not_ just_ my lifemate. Well, you see…He's…"

She looked the medic square in the eye. "He's my best friend."

Anjalee smiled.

* * *

Despite covering up for her minor slip, things were far from fixed. Leia was still in no condition to travel; she needed immensely the help of the Ceelinite medical facility.

Her room was small and she shared it with two other patients separated by black screens. But she had somehow gotten lucky enough to secure the cot by the only window in the room.

The sky had grown darker, if that was possible, and the storm raged on. Lightning connected from one cloud to another, making the dark purple smoke appear pink just for an instant.

_Things are getting worse._

Another issue popped into Leia's tired skull. It had never occurred to her that Celeene was so remote as not to know that Leia Organa was wanted for high treason against the Empire and was worth a hefty ransom.

_Selfish, selfish…Fame's going to your head, lady_.

Even so, Anjalee knew her name. Her _real _name. Barring patient-physician confidentiality cause (was that applied here?), it was safe to assume that their cover had been blown. She was in danger. Han was in danger.

_Han_.

Near-death had taught Leia a couple of things. She couldn't lose Han, and she hadn't been lying when she said that Han was her best friend. True, that was a cheap, recycled response from old, mushy holo-films and annoying sitcom shows about spouses being best friends, but for Leia it rang true. Han _was _her best friend. He knew everything about her. She and Luke had a different kind of relationship. It was easy, comfortable. But her relationship with Han was volatile, unpredictable.

_You like the danger._

Leia felt a goofy grin spread over her face.

"Selfish, selfish…" Han strode into the room, his boot heels resounding on the black obsidian stone. He strode over and eased himself onto a corner of her cot, unknowingly echoing her earlier thoughts. Leia sat up.

"So you fought the old lady for the window-cot, huh?"

Leia laughed and looked at him, eyes twinkling. Han returned the smile, and then his face grew serious. He leaned closer, _closerclosercloser_.

Leia's eyes flew shut in anticipation. She waited, waited.

Finally, after an eternity, their lips met and she tasted all the desire, the care, the reassurance. His mouth moved slowly, gently, over hers. Leia brought one hand up to frame his face and supported her weight with the other, but soon that arm was freed, resting tentatively on his bicep, as Han's arm wrapped around her waist.

_So this is what it feels like to let go. I like it. I like it a lot.

* * *

_

Han couldn't believe what was happening right now. He was holding Leia, _the princess_, in his arms. And he was kissing her as she kissed him back. He felt the pent-up desire radiating from her and felt the need to express his as well. He brought the hand not supporting her back to the side of her head.

Leia jerked back.

"Mina?" The princess brought a hand to the side of her head, slamming her eyes shut and biting her lip.

"Sweetheart, I forgot…"

"No, it's alright, Finn."

"Let me call the medic." Han got up off the cot.

"Don't!" She grimaced again. "I have to tell you something..." She looked up at him through glassy eyes. Han sat down again and took her hand and kissed the palm. Leia shifted her shoulders uncomfortably.

"We blew it, Han."

"What? Don't tell me no now, sweetheart. Not after _that _kiss."

Leia wanted to laugh, but could not. "We have to get out of here. They know who I am." Han looked at her questioningly, but, sensing his question, Leia plowed on.

"I had no identification with me when I was brought in. They were forced to identify me through a DNA scan."

Han's eyes rounded.

"I'm sorry Han," Leia said. She sniffed and looked up, trying to contain her tears. "I failed."

"No! Leia, no! You didn't do this. Listen to me. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. If I hadn't gone on with my stupid plan…" Han became angry at himself. He knew how important her duty to the Alliance was, how important this mission was to her. Another thought occurred to him, saddening him. Had she only let herself go and kissed him because she knew that the mission was blown? Had she made the conscious choice to take that step with him?

"Han." He directed his gaze back at her as she spoke. "A lot of things that have happened are beyond our control now. The question is this: what do we do now?"

Han was at a loss. Leia was so in control, and if _she _didn't know how to get out of this mess…

"A theenk ay can help with that."

Leia and Han's heads turned immediately to see Lord Laenrs standing with his arms folded across his chest, staring at them evilly.

* * *

Oh no! Whatever will become of Han and Leia now? R&R :)!


	12. The lock

I'm just going to warn you, readers, that I am intentionally vague at some points. Enjoy!

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 12**

"There are two ways to be fooled: One is to believe what isn't so; the other is to refuse to believe what is so." -Soren Kierkegaard

* * *

Laenrs' large eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"Chandreela," he said, drawing out and savoring the word. "Lovelee planet, would you not agreee? Especialee dureeng thees time of yeear."

He paused for a moment, turning his profile to the pair and clasping his hands as he began to pace the hospital room.

"Eet would bee thee time of thee summer festeeval. But of course you already kneew that."

Again he paused, his long neck extending towards them as his face zeroed in menacingly. He then cocked his head to the side and withdrew, then continued pacing.

"And of course eet would not surprise you to know that Mon Mothma, deear Mon Mothman, ees _not _off-planet and unable to represent her home for our humble conference, but ees eenstead part of a kee-yourious organeezation—" he turned his whole body towards Han and Leia, "called a Rebelleeyon. You seee, thees eenterests mee great-lee. For what ees a Rebelleeyon? Ay know not. But heere ees where _you _can help me, Preencess Leia," Laenrs conceded, stretching his hand out to her.

"For are you not an eentegral feegure in this organeezation? You are a preencess, yes. First Ay thought it may bee a, well, pet-name from your "lifemate" heere. But no. As soon as you were brought heere weethout identeefeecation, wee were forced to take eemedeeyate actee-yon. You neeeded blood desperate-lee, and we ran some tests that revealed…something shockeeng. You _lied, _preencess, and that ees unacceptable. Now that wee know your true value, do not expect to remain heere for much longer. You weell bee transported to Coruscant by nightfall tomorrow. As for you, _Captain_, expect exeecut-eeyon around thee same time."

"Have a pleasant eveneeng," he said, voice full of mock-cheer. He nodded to one of his accompanying guards, "seal them in."

With hands clasped behind his back, Lord Laenrs exited the room.

* * *

It had been four minutes since Laenrs' exit, and neither of them had spoken. Leia took her hand out of Han's and lay down on the cot on her side, curling up and facing him.

Leia squeezed her eyes shut as a single tear escaped one closed lid.

Han readjusted his position on the cot and reached to stroke her hair once, reassuringly. She did not look at him. At this, Han got up and seated himself in a nearby chair used for visitors. He knew Leia could be a very private person, and decided to leave her be for a few minutes to collect herself.

_As for you, _Captain, _expect execution around the same time_.

Execution? What? Didn't the guy have any idea how much Han was worth to Jabba the Hutt?

_The guy's an idiot to let me die! Bargaining chip number one right there…_

"Han?"

Leia's quiet whisper drew Han from his thoughts. He sat forward, resting his palms on the corners of the armrests. Had he imagined her call? Slowly Han rose out of his seat and sat down on the bed again. He looked at her tenderly, questioningly.

"They don't know about y—"

"Shh." He put a finger to her lips, and mouthed _this place is bugged_.

Leia nodded, finally meeting his eyes. She looked over at the register on her nightstand, then back at him. Registers were often used to soothe the patient with music as they went to sleep, but this time Leia had a different idea.

Han interpreted her glance and turned the register up to full volume. Classical music started blaring out of the small speakers, and now Han and Leia were free to discuss their predicament. Han leaned in close to her ear. "I know they don't know about me an' Jabba, and that could come in handy later, but right now we just need to focus on getting out of here."

"I know. Its just…I'm sorry, Han. For all of this. I blew the mission. We didn't get to the weapons cache, and honestly I don't see a way out of here. This is it." Leia sighed and turned to lie on her back.

"Is that all?"

"What? I'm just resigning myself to the reality of our circumstances."

"Oh, so you're quitting."

"That's not the same thing."

"Okay, let's both die then!"

"Fine with me."

"Leia!"

"This will at least be better than having to go before the High Command and giving a mission failure debriefing," she huffed.

"Are you serious right now? Who are you and what have you done with my Leia?"

"Oh, _your _Leia?" she bristled.

"That's not important right now. What _is _important," he emphasized, touching her lightly on the nose, which she scrunched away from him, "is us gettin' back to the _Falcon _and on our way."

"Don't you think they've gotten to the _Falcon _already? They know who we are; they wouldn't just leave our ship be."

"Oh, _our _ship?"

"Shut up, Han. Even if we could get out of here, we'd still have a speeder ride across the cliffs. And I'm still in no condition to travel."

"Well, condition or no, you're comin' with me. I'm not letting you go now."

Leia gave him a small smile. "Han, I'm glad you're here."

_To hell with being selfish. I just want him with me, one last time, before I lose it all – all over again. _

"Me too, princess. Nowhere else I'd rather be."

That was the last thing he said before their lips met, classical music be damned.

* * *

_Gotta hurry. Almost too late. Almost too late…_

Kerr ran down the slopes of the Teesha Nai as fast as his fat legs could carry him. He had done just as Yano said, and it was time to put the operation into phase one.

_Yano can get them out, I know it._

Out of breath, Kerr stopped to catch his breath. Running was not conducive for fat Gungans.

Suddenly classical music began blaring out of nowhere, and Kerr covered his sensitive ears.

"Ooooh! Mesa no likes thisa music!"

He trudged toward the source, angrily kicking dirt along the way.

* * *

Confused? Don't worry, it will all be cleared up soon ;)


	13. The key

Here's where I might leave canon a bit. I'm assuming Naboo was friendly with the Rebellion here, yes? Also, for my purposes assume that the Ceelinite hospital has fire sprinklers. Also, "nutsen" is the closest thing I could find to a Gungan expletive.

**How To Lie Convincingly – Chapter 13**

"Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth." - Katherine Mansfield

* * *

Yano sank down onto his favorite chair in the lobby of Neesha B'vai Gardens Hotel and Resort. It had come to be his favorite, you see, because he had been doing a lot of sitting and waiting lately.

_Why ever did they send that idiot Kerr with me? All we were supposed to do is track down the weapons and arrange a settlement with the Chandrilan representatives._

Yano had not had any idea what that meant when Naboo Intel had assigned him this mission. What did Chandrila have to do with finding these weapons?

It was not until the conference negotiations that Yano had discovered the Chandrilan representative was not a Chandrilan representative at all. It was the Princess Leia Organa. He had first recognized her voice, and then squinted his eyes to get a better view of her at the conference. He was unsure at first, but after asking his fellow Naboo representative, he confirmed that this woman was indeed the princess – and leader of the Rebel Alliance.

_This may or may not cause some problems_, Yano had thought. Then it had clicked. The weapons had been for the Rebellion.

_Snap out of it! Only Kerr would be stupid enough not to have figured that out earlier!_

_Maybe he's a little more conscious than I thought._

_

* * *

_

The music got louder and louder, and Kerr had to force himself to keep going.

_The Hospital? Hospitals don't have parties._

"Hmmmmz. Thesa be interestin'."

Kerr looked into a nearby window and was stunned with what he saw.

_Finn and Mina Nobi! Kissing! Ew!_

Kerr shut his eyes and turned his head away.

And then the music stopped. Kerr slowly, painstakingly uncovered his ears and opened one eye in time to see a Ceelinite standing over the couple (after shutting off the register). Without warning, the Ceelinite separated the pair and threw Finn against the wall.

"No!" It was muffled through the window, but Kerr could still Mina's cry.

"Quiet!" The Ceelinite moved to strike her, and Kerr was impressed with Mina's unflinching stature, even while sick in a hospital cot. The Ceelinite lowered his hand, and switched his gaze back and forth between the two as he said, "No more deesturbances."

His eyes widened.

_Why were the Nobis being treated in such a manner? I have to help them!_

Kerr took off again in the direction of the hotel.

"Yanooooooooo!"

* * *

Kerr stumbled and fell as he interrupted my pensive train of thought in my favorite chair in the lobby. Yes, the King did want me to suffer on this mission. That's why Kerr is here.

Kerr had pushed himself up to a standing position and breathed deeply. I rose and went over to him.

"Kerr, whatsa ees it now?" I walked over him and helped him stand up straight.

"Itsa the—" pant, pant, "the Nobis, sah!" pant, pant, "Theysa in dan-jah!"

"The who…" I removed one hand from Kerr's shoulder and looked down, wracking my brain.

_Finn and Mina Nobi, Finn and Mina Nobi…Mina Nobi of Chandrila. Nutsen, that's the Princess!_

"Come on, Kerr. Wesa gots ta hurry!"

Kerr immediately took off, wild-eyed.

"Kerr, stop! Wesa don't want to be too obvious!"

"Right, sah. Got it, sah."

He slowed to a brisk walk, which I grudgingly matched with my stride.

"Now Kerr, here'sa what I wants ya ta do…"

* * *

Han arched his back in an attempt to lever his body away from the wall.

"Han! Are you alright?" Leia asked right after the Ceelinite guard left.

"Yeah—" he grunted, "Not the first time I've been tossed around this week." He stood up and walked over to Leia, who had lain back on her side on the cot. "What are we gonna do, Leia?" He asked, laying his hand on her hip.

"I—" there was pain in her voice. "I don't know, Han. There's absolutely nothing I can think of to get us out of here and onto the _Falcon_."

Han gave her side a gentle squeeze and then stood up and walked over to the window, resting his hands on the sill and leaning forward, gazing at the stormy sky. "You know, I never thought my life would end this way. I thought I'd go out with a real bang – in a space fight, maybe. Or shooting at some bounty hunter. Even Jabba." His shoulders slumped.

"I know, Han. This isn't what I wanted it to be like, after all the things I have been through. After all the things that _we've _been through."

"Yeah. But one good thing has come out of it all," he said, smirking, and turning his head to look at her.

"What…?" She sat up to meet his gaze.

"You and me, princess."

Leia blushed and looked down. "Han…"

"No, I'm serious. I never woulda had this chance with you if not for this mission. And after we kissed, I just felt like the luckiest guy in the galaxy. Yeah, it sounds sappy. Well call me a sap then. Even though it took bein' in dire straits to do it, I'm glad we did."

Leia looked up at him and nodded solemly. "Me too, I suppose. I care about you so much, Han. I don't want you to leave. I don't want them to take you away."

"Shhh." Han moved away from the window to sit on the cot, and gathered her onto his lap, delicately pushing her injured skull to rest on his shoulder. "It's okay, princess. It'll be enough knowing you've still got a chance."

He paused for a moment, trying to memorize the feel of her, the lovely weight of Princess Leia in his arms. He knew he had been going to leave eventually, but this was different.

"Listen…promise me you'll fight them, alright? You're strong, Leia. You can beat this."

"I promise." She whispered, and Han felt rather than saw the tears splashing onto his shoulder.

Supporting her head, Han laid Leia back down on the bed. Her injuries and the emotional strain had tired her. She would need all her strength and wits about her tomorrow when they faced Laenrs again.

"Wait." Leia's hand latched onto his as he began moving away from her cot. She would have been embarrassed to ask this at any other time, but with death so near in her sights, Leia became uninhibited. It was different, before. The threat of death was always hanging over Leia when she was with the Alliance, but she had always clung to shreds of hope, small shreds that she no longer kept with her. She knew this was the end.

"Lay with me," she whispered, her dark eyes imploring him.

"Leia…you're hurt. I don't want…"

"No. Just hold me."

"Whatever the princess wants." Leia scooted over to far edge of the wall as Han lay down on his back. Thanking all gods of Corellia, Han put an arm around his princess when she lay down next to him, her head pillowed between his shoulder and chest.

_Tomorrow's going to get here too soon._

_

* * *

_

By his time, Han had been asleep with Leia for about forty-five minutes when he was awoken by a clicking on the window. Han lifted his head and neck as much as he could without disturbing Leia, but dismissed the noise when it ceased for a few moments.

As soon as it had stopped, however, the clicking started again.

Han lay his head back down on the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, willing the abominable noise away. Finally, when he could take it no more, he moved slowly out from under Leia and went to the window to tell whatever animal it was that was tapping to fuck off.

But nothing could have prepared Han to come face to face with the skinny Gungan from their hotel.

* * *

Kerr entered the main entrance of the hospital as inconspicuously as a fat Gungan could. He whistled to himself, kept his gaze high and clasped his hands behind his back as he strolled toward a supply cabinet.

"Sir?"

Kerr jumped. "Oooh!" He shook his head as he collected himself.

"Sorry to have scared you, sir. But I'm afraid you aren't allowed in there. That's staff only."

Kerr babbled off in his native language, still surprised that the young ensign had snuck up on him.

"Uhh. Excuse me. I need to find someone who speaks Gungan. Don't. Move." The ensigns eyes narrowed.

"Okee-day," Kerr answered. He waited until the ensign had turned the corner, then immediately opened the supply closet door.

"Sheesh. Even meesa isn't that stupid."

Kerr took out his Miracle-Glo and ingnited it just as Yano had shown him. Kerr reached up to hold the flame under the fire sprinkler. Almost immediately, water rained down from the sprinkler in the closet. Quickly, Kerr re-opened the supply closer door and gave a hoot of glee as he saw the other fire sprinklers spilling out water.

"Now theesa weather eesa more like it."

It was time to meet Yano at the window.


	14. The run

**How to Lie Convincingly – Chapter 14**

Finally! Finally the fourteenth chapter has arrived! Anyway, sorry for the theatrics, but here is Chapter 14. It was a bit difficult for me since I haven't written H/L in, well, over a year, but here goes nothing!

* * *

"The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this because we're afraid. We fear we will not find love, and when we find it we fear we'll lose it." – Richard Bach

* * *

Leia would have jerked up when she felt water rain down all over her, but her head was injured, so she did not. She would have reached out for Han, but he was not with her in the bed, so she did not. She would have screamed when she felt a pair of arms yank her from the bed, but the water had stolen her breath, so she did not. Finally, when air was able to invade her lungs, she started screaming for Han.

A gloved hand clamped over her mouth.

"Quiet," the voice said sternly.

Leia was unable to see her attacker because she was unable to brush the water out of her eyes.

"Yano! Besa nice!"

_Gungans? _Leia recognized the distinctive accent. Suddenly, imaged flashed through her head:

_The pair of Gungans on the elevator. Glaring at her in the conference. Examining her ring. _

_Are they trying to help me?_

"Kerr, _Kerr! _Hold unda the ankles. NO. _Ankles_! Thosas aresa da feet. Gentle now, yesa. Right unda there. Now, besa quick, Kerr! Jump."

"What!" Kerr sputtered.

"Kerr, don't besa a fool! Rememba da plan. Go!"

Kerr tumbled face-first out of the small window.

"Now, princess, Isa gots to get you out of here."

* * *

The Ceelinite guards approached carefully. The first spoke, quivering: "My lord, wee have deteected unusual activitee in the hospeetal. It seeems the fire seestems are in operay-shun."

Laenrs turned on him with rage. "Well, what are you steel do-eeng heere! You eedee-ots! Eet ees an eescape plan! Obveeouslee!"

"Yes, sir! Away wee go, sir!"

"No!" Laenrs leveled them both with one mighty talon. "I weell have to go myself."

* * *

Han scrambled up the steep rock-steps carved in to the cliffs.

_Don't look down, Solo. _

He paused.

_I hope Leia is all right. I entrusted her to those two nutjobs. They better bring her to me, and quick._

It had been hard to leave her. But when he opened the window to give the Gungan a piece of his mind, he quickly lost his fervor when he was told to listen, or risk losing everyone's lives, including Leia's. Yano, the Gungan, told him that he and Kerr were sent to Celeene to reach a weaponry settlement with the two representatives from Chandrila. When Yano discovered the identity of the Princess, he knew it was imperative to find the weapons and leave the planet immediately to give the weapons to the Rebels. However, Yano did not bank on Lord Laenrs capturing them both. Han remembered the conversation very well.

"_Look, sah. No time for da details. We need you ta get aboards da ship, sah. Wesa have a way to harness the power of da weapons. Itsa ees a small, round orb. Brings it to the top of da Teesha Nai, sah!"_

Now here he was, on some god-forsaken rock trying to find a small orb in a small chip. A small orb! Did they realize how many _small orbs _are on _one _ship!

_Focus, Solo. If you lose this chance you'll lose all of our lives. Now, they said that their ship was on landing pad AVC…_

_AVC? That's right next to the _Falcon!

With energy renewed, Han sprinted up the remaining stairs with little difficulty, spirits high to see his ship. To his dismay, the _Falcon_ was guarded by four Ceelinites in full armor, but seemed otherwise the same as it had been when they landed. He slumped. _Now _how were they going to leave? Han looked at the Gungan ship with a little jealousy. It was smaller, less-than-half the size of the Falcon. And _uglier_, he thought. Yet it was the one he needed to get into.

All he had to figure out now was how to get _on _the ship undetected.

And find Leia. And get the Gungans. And _his_ ship.

_Oh, kreth. _

After a few minutes, Han began to creep on his hands and knees towards the Gungan ship, stealing glances at the guards every few minutes. In each talon they held some kind of glowing sabre with a glowing tip, a weapon Han had never seen before. They did not seem to notice him. As Han re-focused his attention on his path towards the ship, his left hand snapped a twig on the ground.

Eight eyes zeroed in on him. _Sith. _

"Oh, uh, _hey_, fellas!"

* * *

_He left me. He left me. _

Leia was limp in the Gungan's arms as he tried to navigate his way through the flooded hospital. Following Ceelinite protocol, all hospital personnel had been evacuated.

_That's one good thing about Celeene. Order is priority. _

_But where was Han?_

"Where's…"

"Quiet! Isa needs to concentrate!"

Then the sprinklers stopped.

"Ayah! Finally! Now, princessa, do yousa thinks you can walk?"

He set her down. She was shaky on her feet, but the treatment Anjalee had given her had clearly accelerated the healing process.

"I think I can manage."

An unfamiliar voice startled her. "That ees good to heear."

Leia's heart rate accelerated. _Come on, Han! Where are you?_

* * *

A little rough, I know. It might take a bit for me to get back into characterization with these guys. And, this little baby was kind of a transition. The next chapter is sure to have more action in it, and probably will be close to the end. I expect the trajectory for this story to be 20 chapters, more or less (:. Thank you ALL for reading and managing to stay with me for over a year! I hope to not disappoint!


End file.
